ICC refuses to back down from arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant - Sarmad
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has affirmed that it will not retract the arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, emphasizing that it has taken no steps to withdraw them despite threats and U.S. sanctions imposed on the court.
Nahum Khan, the Acting Prosecutor of the ICC, stated that her office has not taken any action to cancel the arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, despite escalating U.S. sanctions and pressure.
In the same context, the Associated Press reported, citing diplomatic sources, that Washington warned the Netherlands of imposing devastating and far-reaching sanctions on the court, demanding that Amsterdam withdraw from its membership. Two sources told the agency that U.S. representatives informed their Dutch counterparts that these sanctions could be announced on September 21.
In response, the Netherlands is preparing to face the potentially severe repercussions for the operations of the court, which is based in The Hague. Amsterdam is exploring alternative means to ensure the court’s funding, such as guaranteeing uninterrupted payment of staff salaries, transferring funds to witnesses under its protection, and securing its detention facility.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials and official documents, that the U.S. administration is preparing to impose broad sanctions on the court. The report explained that these restrictions would cover most financial transactions, potentially crippling the court’s operations by blocking dollar-denominated transactions and isolating it from a significant portion of the global financial system.
It is worth noting that the current U.S. administration has imposed sanctions on the ICC on multiple occasions. On February 6, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing restrictions on the court’s officials. Washington accuses the court of pursuing unlawful proceedings against the United States and its allies, most notably Israel.
