Israel Trying to Preempt ICC from Issuing Arrest Warrant Against War Leaders

Israeli political leadership is considering the initiation of a criminal investigation as a strategy to preempt the International Criminal Court (ICC) from issuing arrest warrants, according to Al-Qahera News Channel.

Previously, Haaretz newspaper cited sources from the Ministry of Justice, indicating that the likelihood of arrest warrants being issued against the implicated leaders is relatively low, as the court may find it unreasonable to issue three warrants simultaneously. The initial request sought the issuance of five arrest warrants, including three targeting Hamas leaders; however, two of these individuals, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Deif, have since been killed.

Furthermore, the newspaper noted that another element contributing to a more optimistic outlook regarding this assessment is the numerous legal memoranda submitted to the court last month, many of which align with the Israeli stance.

The report also highlighted that the absence of an official inquiry commission into wartime decisions, coupled with perceptions of insufficient accountability for wartime violations by the Israeli judicial system, may ultimately enhance the likelihood of arrest warrants being issued in the future.

In a submission made last May, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh of perpetrating war crimes and crimes against humanity in both the Gaza Strip and Israel.