ICC in The Hague: Request Filed for Arrest Warrant Against Smotrich

The website middle east eye reported today (Monday) that a request has been submitted to the International Criminal Court in The Hague for the issuance of an arrest warrant against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The site is identified as being close to Qatar and to the prosecutor’s office in The Hague.

As previously reported, yesterday it was said that requests had been submitted to the court in The Hague to consider issuing arrest warrants against additional senior Israeli officials, beyond Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Arrest warrants were issued against those two last year.

Today, as noted, it was reported that one request is being discussed, and it concerns Minister Smotrich. The prosecution attributes to him offenses of "forcible transfer as a crime against humanity, transfer of population in Israel as a war crime, and persecution and apartheid as crimes against humanity." The reference is to the Palestinian population in Judea and Samaria.

According to the report, in addition, a discussion is taking place in the prosecutor’s office regarding the possibility of filing similar requests against National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and against Defense Minister Israel Katz. The prosecutors in The Hague are also considering adding IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to the list. It was reported that in these cases, no decision has yet been made.

As noted, yesterday it was reported that the court may issue arrest warrants against five senior Israeli officials, including ministers and top military figures. In an official response, the court in The Hague said that the report claiming arrest warrants had been issued was "not accurate," and explicitly denied that new arrest warrants had been issued against Israelis.