Israel announced on Wednesday that it will appeal the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
The country also requested that the ICC suspend the warrant until the appeal is resolved, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office.
The ICC issued the warrant last week citing suspected crimes against humanity and war crimes related to Israel’s military operations in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.
Netanyahu and other Israeli officials criticized the warrant, with the prime minister accusing the ICC of bias and saying, “The State of Israel challenges the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the legality of the arrest warrant issued.” “Israel’s notice of appeal shows in detail how the decision to issue the arrest warrant was baseless and without any factual or legal basis,” the statement added.
The statement added that rejection of the appeal would highlight what it described as the ICC’s bias against Israel.
“If the Court rejects this request, it will further demonstrate to Israel’s friends in the United States and around the world how biased the International Criminal Court is against the State of Israel.”
The ICC did not comment directly on the appeal. ICC spokesman Fadi al-Abdallah said the decision would be up to the judges if an appeal is submitted.
The ICC also issued an arrest warrant Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif. Israel claimed in August that Daif was killed in an airstrike in southern Gaza in July, but Hamas has not confirmed his death.
The court said on November 21 that it had “reasonable grounds” to hold Netanyahu and Gallant criminally responsible for starvation as a method of warfare, as well as crimes against humanity, including murder, torture and other inhumane acts.
According to the rules of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the United Nations Security Council may adopt a resolution suspending or suspending an investigation or proceeding for one year, with the option of renewing it annually.
Once an arrest warrant is issued, the country concerned or the person named in the warrant can challenge the court’s jurisdiction or even the admissibility of the case.
