Photo: Collected
The possible issuance of arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the Israeli leadership will not affect foreign policy activities of Israel, Dmitry Gendelman, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday (21 May).
On Monday, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said he had filed requests for arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed since October 2023 based on evidence collected and examined by his office. US President Joe Biden said during a press conference that despite the ICC prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, Israel is not carrying out genocide in Gaza. US House Speaker Mike Johnson said that lawmakers are exploring options, including sanctions, to punish the ICC if it proceeds with arrest warrants for Israeli officials.
"Israel does not recognize the ICC and any of its decisions are not for us anything that could affect the foreign policy activities of our leaders," Gendelman said.
The United States and a number of EU countries have already made it clear that they will not support the ICC decision on Israeli officials, the adviser said.
"I think this list will grow. Thus, these countries have already made it clear to Karim Khan that they will not agree with the consequences of such actions," the official added.
Israel categorically rejects the accusations of the ICC and considers them absurd, putting the attackers and victims of the attack on the same line, he said.
"We continue the military operation in Gaza until the Hamas government in the enclave is completely destroyed," Gendelman said.
Messenger/Mumu
