ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.

The Hague: The Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The warrants follow the Chamber's unanimous rejection of Israel's appeals under Articles 18 and 19 of the Rome Statute. According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Chamber addressed two applications from Israel dated September 26, which contested the ICC's jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories and Israeli citizens. Israel's second application sought a new notification of an investigation from the ICC Prosecution and a halt to proceedings regarding the arrest warrants requested on May 20, 2024. The Chamber clarified that Israel's consent to the ICC's jurisdiction was unnecessary, as the Court could assert jurisdiction based on Palestine's territorial claims, as previously determined by the Chamber. Furthermore, it highlighted that challenges to jurisdiction under Article 19(2) were premature u ntil an arrest warrant had been issued. Israel's request for a new notification of investigation was also denied. The Chamber noted that Israel had been informed of the investigation's commencement in 2021 but did not request a postponement. It concluded that the investigation criteria remained unchanged, negating the need for further notifications. The arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant pertain to alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from October 8, 2023, to May 20, 2024. The Chamber asserted that the alleged actions fall under its jurisdiction, which includes Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.