Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Worldwide Prison Court docket as “anti-Semitic” on Thursday afer it issued arrest warrants for him and his former defence minister, vowing it will not deter him from defending Israel.
Israeli opposition chief Yair Lapid additionally criticised the arrest warrants, accusing the court docket of rewarding “terrorism”.
The arrast warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant had been issued on suspicion of “crimes in opposition to humanity and conflict crimes dedicated” in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault on Israel.
“No outrageous anti-Israel determination will forestall us –- and it’ll not forestall me –- from persevering with to defend our nation in each manner,” Netanyahu stated in a video assertion. “We won’t yield to stress,” he vowed.
Earlier, Netanyahu in contrast the ICC’s determination to “a modern-day Dreyfus trial”, referring to an notorious nineteenth century case wherein French Jewish military captain Alfred Dreyfus was unfairly convicted of treason.
He stated Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions and accusations made in opposition to it”.
The judges had been “pushed by anti-Semitic hatred of Israel”, he stated.
Netanyahu alleged that the warrants had been an try by ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan “to avoid wasting himself from severe accusations of sexual harassment”. Khan has denied the allegations.
President Isaac Herzog described the court docket’s transfer as a “darkish day for justice”, whereas International Minister Gideon Saar stated the ICC had “misplaced all legitimacy”.
Israelis in Jerusalem echoed their feedback, condemning the judges’ actions.
“It is a heartache that they act in opposition to the Jewish individuals with anti-Semitism,” stated a 75-year-old who gave his title solely as Shmuel.
Moshe Cohen, a 41-year-old manufacturing facility employee, stated: “Everybody round us is attempting to convey us down… and I do not suppose we must always allow them to.”
– ‘Harmful precedent’ –
Former defence minister Yoav Gallant stated the arrest warrants issued in opposition to him and the prime minister set a “harmful precedent”.
“The choice of the court docket in The Hague might be remembered endlessly — it locations the State of Israel and the murderous leaders of Hamas in the identical row,” he wrote on X.
“The choice units a harmful precedent in opposition to the best to self-defence and moral warfare and encourages murderous terrorism.”
Far-right Nationwide Safety Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged the federal government to reply by annexing the entire of the occupied West Financial institution, which the Palestinians declare as a part of their future state.
Opposition chief Lapid stated: “Israel is defending its residents’ lives in opposition to terrorist organisations that attacked, murdered and raped our individuals. These arrest warrants are a reward for terrorism.”
However not everybody in Israel disagreed with the ICC.
Israeli human rights group B’Tselem known as on international governments to “implement the warrants” in opposition to Netanyahu and Gallant, which it stated marked “one of many lowest factors in Israeli historical past”.
“Private accountability for decision-makers is a key factor within the wrestle for justice and freedom for all human beings dwelling between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea,” it stated.
Israel’s Arab-led communist occasion, Hadash, welcomed the court docket’s determination, accusing Netanyahu and Gallant of “the overall destruction of Gaza” and “mass homicide”.
