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The world’s top war-crimes court issued arrest warrants Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the 13-month war in Gaza that has claimed the lives of some 44,000 people.
The warrants said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and have intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny.
Netanyahu condemned the warrant against him, saying Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions” by the court. In a statement released by his office, he said: “There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza.”
Gallant, in a statement, said the decision “sets a dangerous precedent against the right to self-defense and moral warfare and encourages murderous terrorism.”
More than 120 countries have committed to arresting Netanyahu should he step foot on their soil. While the USA is not one of them, Canada is. Much of the European Union, an Israeli ally, has also committed to arresting Netanyahu.
The warrant marked the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a global court of justice.
Their count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Just 3 percent of those betting on this Netanyahu arrest market at Polymarket believe he will end up being taken into custody.
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