Smotrich is the third Israeli official focused by the ICC, after Netanyahu and Gallant, for his or her conflict crimes in Gaza.
Revealed On 19 Could 2026
Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated he was knowledgeable that the Worldwide Prison Court docket (ICC) in The Hague had requested a warrant for his arrest.
Talking at a information convention on Tuesday, Smotrich didn’t specify who had knowledgeable him in regards to the warrant the earlier night. The method of searching for warrants is confidential.
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Smotrich known as the arrest warrants in opposition to Israeli officers “a declaration of conflict”, including: “And within the face of a declaration of conflict, we are going to struggle again with a vengeance.”
He additionally attacked “the terrorist organisation mistakenly known as the Palestinian Authority”, reflecting the Israeli authorities’s anger at what it sees as Palestinian backing for worldwide authorized motion over Israel’s army actions in Gaza.
Saying that he would go on the assault after the information of this arrest warrant, Smotrich stated he “will signal an order to evacuate Khan al-Ahmar”, forcibly transferring the Palestinian group from this occupied West Financial institution village that has endured a years-long authorized battle with Israeli authorities for its survival.
In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for “crimes in opposition to humanity and conflict crimes” dedicated throughout Israel’s genocidal conflict on Gaza.
Judges and prosecutors on the ICC have since been lower off by banks, bank card firms and tech giants like Amazon on account of sanctions introduced by the Trump administration.
The court docket additionally issued arrest warrants for a number of Hamas leaders who have been subsequently killed in Israeli operations.
The ICC accusations reportedly centre on Smotrich’s compelled displacement orders for Palestinians, his help for shifting Israeli settlers into occupied territory, and his declare it might be “justified and ethical” to starve Palestinians in Gaza. If accepted, it might make Smotrich the third Israeli official focused by the court docket, after Netanyahu and Gallant.
The UK and 4 different international locations final 12 months imposed sanctions on Smotrich and one other far-right Israeli cupboard minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence in opposition to Palestinians within the West Financial institution.
Smotrich has known as for the everlasting conquest of Gaza and the re-establishment of Jewish settlements there that Israel had deserted in 2005, notions that Netanyahu has rejected.
