Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is planning to travel to Washington for meetings with U.S. security officials, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him. As non-member states of the ICC, Israel and the USA are not legally obligated to abide by the arrest warrant.
The ICC has also issued a warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to actions in Gaza.
On November 21, 2024, the ICC mandated that member states arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they enter their territories.
The White House, however, has dismissed these warrants, arguing that the ICC lacks jurisdiction to prosecute Israel.
U.S. President Joe Biden, whose country is not a signatory of the Rome Statute and does not have to comply with the arrest order from the ICC, called the warrants “outrageous.”
In May 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan requested the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, holding them responsible for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli military in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
Since that date, Israel has been accused of committing genocide in Gaza, resulting in over 148,000 Palestinian casualties, largely children and women, and more than 10,000 missing persons, largely under the rubble.
The ongoing indiscriminate Israeli bombing has also caused extensive destruction and famine, contributing to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Despite international calls from the United Nations Security Council and the International Court of Justice to ceasefire in Gaza and address the disastrous humanitarian situation, Israel continues the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza, amidst serious escalation in the West Bank.
On Monday, Fadi Al-Abdallah, the spokesperson for the International Criminal Court (ICC), emphasized that states party to the Rome Statute are legally required to cooperate with the court regarding the arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Non-member states, however, have the option to voluntarily assist the ICC.
Last Thursday, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I unanimously rejected Israel’s appeals under Articles 18 and 19 of the Rome Statute.
Subsequently, the court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, citing “reasonable grounds to believe they are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Speaking to the Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA,) Al-Abdallah explained that once an arrest warrant is issued, the court requests cooperation from the countries where the suspects may be found.
He also noted that if a state party to the Rome Statute fails to comply, the court’s judges can refer the matter to the Assembly of States Parties for appropriate measures.
Currently, 124 countries are signatories to the Rome Statute, with Armenia set to become the 125th member at the start of the next year, according to Al-Abdallah.
