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Israelis across the political divide criticized the International Criminal Court after it issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a rare show of unity in the politically polarized country.
The warrant accuses the prime minister and his former defense minister Yves Gallant of being responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes over Israel’s aggression in Gaza. It is the first time the 22-year-old court has tried to arrest the leader of a Western-backed country.
The move comes amid growing international outrage over Israel’s 13-month offensive in Gaza. But while global reaction was mixed, in Israel it sparked outrage from Netanyahu’s allies and opponents alike in what was widely interpreted as an attack on the country’s right to self-defense.
Yair Lapid, head of the main opposition group Yesh Atid, called the warrants “a reward for terrorism”, while Benny Gantz, head of the centre-right National Unity Party, condemned them as “moral blindness and ” declared. [a] A shameful stain of historical proportions that will never be forgotten.
Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, National Security Minister Atmar Ben-Goverr and Finance Minister Bezalel Smutrich, respectively, suggested that Israel should respond by annexing the occupied West Bank and imposing sanctions to end the Palestinian Authority.
“[The court’s decision] Ben Gower wrote at X that it was an unprecedented scandal, but not at all surprising.
Netanyahu is one of the most divisive leaders in Israel’s history, hated by his opponents for everything from his failure to secure the release of hostages in Gaza to corruption scandals.
Yet the ICC announcement highlighted a sense in Israel that much of the international community fails to understand the threat the country faces and creates a false equation between its military and Hamas.
Israel launched the operation in response to an October 7 attack by Hamas, during which the militants killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostage, according to Israeli officials.
According to Palestinian officials, Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has killed nearly 44,000 people, mostly women and children, and fueled a devastating humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
Announcing its decision, the ICC said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for war crimes, including “starvation as a method of warfare.” stay; and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhuman acts.”
The ICC also issued a warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Daif over the October 7 attack, although Israel has already said he was killed in an airstrike in July.
Netanyahu’s office called the warrants against the prime minister and Gallant “anti-Semitic” and said Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions and accusations against him”, calling the ICC “biased”. And a distinguished political institution”.
However, voices of dissent within Israel were few and far between. Ahmad Tabi, a lawmaker from Israel’s Arab minority, rejected suggestions that the ICC was motivated by antisemitism, citing the smoldering ruins of Gaza and desperate Palestinians queuing for food. Posted pictures with the comment: “Antisemitism?”
Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, a fierce critic of Israeli policy toward Palestinians, said the issuance of the warrant was “one of the lowest points in Israeli history.”
“B’Tselem and other organizations have warned for years that the Israeli apartheid regime is inherently complicit in serious human rights violations,” it said in a statement. “Over the past year, these violations have grown to unimaginable proportions.”
Israel has repeatedly denied apartheid or human rights violations.
Since the conflict began, however, the majority of Israelis—regardless of their feelings about Netanyahu—have strongly supported attacks against Hezbollah in Gaza and Lebanon.
The mainstream media has broadcast little coverage of the impending disaster, while Israeli politicians have criticized the rising death toll and strongly rejected suggestions that the offensive had created a humanitarian crisis. .
Uri, 49, from Tel Aviv, said “whatever it takes to get rid of . . . Netanyahu will be good for our future” but called the decision to issue the warrant “shameful.”
Gabriel, 39, from Hod Hasharon, said the ICC would fail to enforce the warrant. “That and which army?” he said. “And also — the idea that the war in Gaza is a crime. I don’t understand what that means — what criminal case is going on here?
He added: “They have done nothing to gain buy-in or legitimacy from the Israelis, so why should we take them seriously?”
