The International Criminal Court rejects Israel's objection to the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant

The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court rejected Israel's objection to the arrest warrants issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The appeals judges rejected by a majority vote another appeal submitted by Israel to halt the Court's investigation into its conduct of the war on the Gaza Strip.

The decision indicates that the investigation continues and that the arrest warrants issued last year against Netanyahu and Gallant "remain in place".

Israel argues in its objection that the International Criminal Court must issue a new notification (new referral) regarding the investigation into crimes committed in Palestine, based on the fact that the events of October 7, 2023, constitute a "new situation".

In October last year, the International Criminal Court rejected for the second time an appeal submitted by Israel against the arrest warrants issued against Netanyahu and Gallant.

On February 5, 2021, the International Criminal Court ruled that Palestine is a state party to the Rome Statute, and that the Court's jurisdiction over Palestinian territories extends to include Gaza and the West Bank occupied since 1967.

On March 3, 2021, the Office of the Prosecutor announced the start of an investigation into the Palestinian situation.

Israel challenged the Court's jurisdiction on September 23, 2024, under Article 19(2) of the Rome Statute.

On November 21, 2024, the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant for charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Palestine had submitted a request to the International Criminal Court in 2018 demanding an investigation into "crimes committed and being committed in all occupied Palestinian territories as of June 13, 2014".

In March 2021, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court indicated in his notification to Israel that the preliminary investigation into crimes committed in Palestine includes the period from June 13, 2014, and thereafter.

On November 17, 2023, five member states of the Court (South Africa, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Comoros, and Djibouti) requested the opening of an investigation into Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.