**ICC Judges rejects ‘Israel’s’ request to suspend Netanyahu, Gallant arrest warrants.**
THE HAGUE Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday rejected ‘Israel’s’ request to suspend arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant while the court considers a challenge to its jurisdiction over alleged crimes in Gaza.
The decision means the warrants, issued on November 21, 2023, accusing Netanyahu and Gallant of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict, remain active and enforceable. The court also denied ‘Israel’s’ request to suspend the broader investigation into alleged atrocities in the Palestinian territories.
‘Israel’ vehemently disputes the ICC’s jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes. It argued that an April ruling by the ICC Appeals Chamber – which ordered a review of ‘Israel’s’ jurisdictional objections – invalidated the legal basis for the warrants pending that review.
The Pre-Trial Chamber dismissed this argument, stating the warrants stand while the jurisdictional challenge is under consideration. No timeline for a ruling on the jurisdiction question was provided.
The original warrants also targeted senior Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif (Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri). The court withdrew the warrant for Deif in February following credible reports of his death.
The ruling comes weeks after the United States imposed unprecedented sanctions on four ICC judges in June, explicitly citing the warrant against Netanyahu. Two of those sanctioned judges were part of the panel that rejected ‘Israel’s’ suspension request on Wednesday.
The legal battle over the ICC’s authority to investigate and the validity of the arrest warrants continues.