The hague: The International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued secret arrest warrants for more Israeli officials, including politicians and military personnel, in connection with the war on the Gaza Strip. In a related development, eight countries have banned the entry of the two extremist Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, since the outbreak of the war. These countries include Australia, Canada, Spain, Belgium, Norway, and New Zealand.
According to Palestine news and Information Agency, the ICC's actions come amidst ongoing tensions and legal battles regarding the court's jurisdiction over Israeli actions in Gaza. A report from the Israeli newspaper Haaretz mentioned that the secret warrants target three Israeli politicians and two military officials, whose identities remain undisclosed. This follows the previous public arrest warrants issued in November 2024 against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Israel has been contesting the ICC's authority, arguing that as a non-signatory of the Rome Statute, it should not fall under the court's jurisdiction. However, the court in The Hague has consistently rejected these claims, maintaining that crimes committed in the Palestinian territories, which joined the court in 2015, fall under its purview. This stance has led to increased international legal pressures on Israeli officials, potentially limiting their global mobility.
In addition to the secret arrest warrants, the Netherlands has included ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in the list of individuals barred from Schengen Agreement countries due to their inflammatory rhetoric and actions against Palestinians. The ICC's use of secret arrest warrants is a strategic measure to protect investigations, prevent the obstruction of justice, and facilitate arrests during international travel, indicating a broader scope of international legal actions against Israel.