"Chief Prosecutor's Call to Netanyahu in 124 Countries"

The International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant due to war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza as of October 8, 2023. ICC Prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan made a significant call to all member states following the decision.

"COMPLY WITH THE COURT'S DECISION"

Prosecutor Khan stated in his call to the 124 member states, "I urge all states that are members of the Court to demonstrate their commitment to the Rome Statute and to comply with this judicial decision with respect."

"I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN CRIMINAL ALLEGATIONS"

Khan emphasized that investigations regarding the situation in Gaza are ongoing and that his team is examining additional areas of investigation, including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, which fall under the court's jurisdiction. He stated, "I am deeply concerned about reports of escalating violence in Gaza and the West Bank, further restrictions on access to humanitarian aid, and the increase in allegations of international crimes."

"THERE ARE SUFFICIENT GROUNDS FOR THE ARREST WARRANTS"

Khan highlighted that the arrest warrants issued against Netanyahu and Gallant are based on evidence presented by the prosecution. He noted that ICC judges found sufficient grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, particularly using starvation as a method of warfare.

"LAWS APPLY TO EVERYONE"

Khan emphasized that laws apply to everyone and pointed out that the arrest warrants were issued following an independent investigation based on verifiable and impartial evidence. Khan stated, "I call on all states that are parties to the Rome Statute to fulfill their obligations and to comply with these warrants with respect to judicial orders. We expect non-party states to demonstrate cooperation and support the enforcement of international law and accountability for those responsible."

Following the announcement of the ICC's decision, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also emphasized that the decision is binding and stated that all countries that are members of the court, including all EU member states, must implement the decision.