ICC: What’s Next For Netanyahu, Gallant?

Israel is preparing for potential arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

On Sunday, the Hague-based court reposted a notice in Hebrew, Arabic, and English explaining its procedures according to Anadolu.

“After gathering evidence and identifying a suspect, the prosecution requests ICC judges to issue: an arrest warrant, which national authorities enforce; or a summons to appear, where suspects appear voluntarily,” the notice reads.

This marks the fourth time since the beginning of June that the ICC has shared this post on its social media accounts as reported by the Turkish news agency.

On May 20, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he had requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

No official decision from the court has been made as of yet.

While Israel has condemned and rejected the prosecutor’s request, it remains unclear how Tel Aviv will respond if arrest warrants are issued.

“Discussions are underway in Israel regarding a defense strategy for Netanyahu, Gallant, and the state of Israel in case the ICC issues arrest warrants,” the Israeli public broadcaster KAN said.

“The preparations aim to ensure that Israel is ready if such a decision is made by the ICC judges,” it added.

KAN said it remains unclear whether Israel will present a legal defense at The Hague as Tel Aviv does not recognize the court’s authority.

“Israel prefers to prepare for the worst-case scenario, which includes potential arrest orders, and is thus discussing a possible defense stance against such a decision,” it added.

Israel is not a member of the ICC, whereas Palestine was accepted as a member in 2015.

The ICC, established in 2002, is an independent international body not affiliated with the United Nations or any other international institution, and its decisions are binding.

Despite Israel’s rejection of the ICC’s jurisdiction, the court’s authority extends to the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, allowing it to prosecute Israeli officials accused of committing crimes in these areas, Anadolu concluded.

CrossFireArabia

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

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Palestinian Journalists Under Attack – 55 Israeli Violations in May

The Palestinian Journalists Association (PJA) announced, Monday, it documented 55 violations by Israeli occupation soldiers against Palestinian journalists in last May. It described such violations are part of a  systematic policy to restrict and prevent West Bank and Gaza journalists to carry out their professional duties.

The PJA’s Freedoms Committee said in a press statement to Quds Press the Israeli occupation continues its violations against journalists and media workers to limit their ability to report the truth and document attacks and violations against Palestinians.

The documented violations during May included two injuries from live ammunition while covering events in the field, two arbitrary arrests, and 30 cases of detention and prevention from working and covering events.

The committee also recorded five cases of direct gunfire directed at journalists, five attacks using tear gas and stun grenades, in addition to two cases of confiscation of journalistic equipment and two cases of physical assault on journalists.

The violations include two cases of journalists being barred from covering news at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, one of a media outlet being raided and shut down, another of a journalist being brought before a court and three cases of journalists summoned and interrogated.

The committee affirmed that these practices constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and international covenants on freedom of opinion and expression, which stipulate the protection of journalists while performing their professional duties in conflict zones.

It added that the escalating targeting of journalists reflects a systematic approach aimed at restricting media coverage and preventing the dissemination of information about the reality and violations suffered by the Palestinian people. The committee noted that the occupation continues to use various means to suppress media work and obstruct the public’s access to information.

The Committee for Freedoms called on international human rights and media organizations, as well as the United Nations, to uphold their legal and moral responsibilities, pressure the occupation authorities to cease their ongoing violations against Palestinian journalists, hold those responsible accountable, and provide the necessary protection for media workers.

The PJA announced last May it documented nearly 300 Israeli crimes, violations, and attacks against Palestinian journalists since the beginning of 2026 and the trend is set to continue judging from the scale of esclation against media workers.

The press association indicated at the time the number of journalists killed reached 262 since the outbreak of the war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, including 261 journalists murdered in the Gaza Strip, in addition to six journalists killed since the beginning of 2026.

This comes at a time when Israeli attacks against Palestinians continue in various areas, amid increasing complaints about the targeting of journalists, the obstruction of their work, and the prevention of their coverage of events on the ground and their reporting to the public.

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