Channel 12 reporter Keren Bezalel reported that ICC prosecutor Karim Khan has been dismissed, but the arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remain in effect. Israel can petition the court to cancel the warrants, arguing they were issued for improper reasons, according to the report.
In a new development at 21:49 Jerusalem, Channel 12 reporter Keren Bezalel reported that the arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remain in effect despite the dismissal of ICC prosecutor Karim Khan. According to the report, Israel can petition the court to cancel the warrants, arguing they were issued for improper considerations. This update comes just over an hour after the ICC member states voted to dismiss Khan.
At 20:31 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that 82 of the 125 ICC member states voted to dismiss Khan, with 13 opposed and 12 abstaining, following allegations of sexual misconduct. The dismissal was confirmed by multiple sources including Reuters. Israeli officials responded swiftly: Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar at 20:33 Jerusalem called Khan a 'corrupt prosecutor' and demanded the warrants be canceled, while Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, who had previously called for the warrants' rescission on June 9, welcomed the decision as a rejection of what he called a political witch hunt.
The Zioneer has previously tracked the legal battle between Israel and the ICC. The warrants were issued in 2024, and Israel has consistently argued the court lacks jurisdiction. Khan's dismissal, stemming from an internal misconduct probe, was seen by Israeli officials as a potential opening to challenge the warrants.
The exact grounds for Khan's dismissal have not been officially detailed by the court, though reports cite sexual harassment testimonies. An unverified online post claimed Khan's replacement is a 'more extreme Muslim woman' — a claim not independently confirmed. The ICC has not yet commented on the arrest warrants' status.
6 developments
- StrongReuters: ICC executive board recommends removing chief prosecutor Karim Khan after misconduct probe
- ConfirmedICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan suspended after sexual misconduct inquiry
- StrongICC to vote next month on removing chief prosecutor Karim Khan
- DevelopingUK solicitors' watchdog suspends ICC prosecutor Karim Khan pending sexual assault probe
Source and signal
- Open-source intake