Jerusalem, Israel. Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said he was informed that the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague has requested a “secret” arrest warrant against him. The ICC prosecutor’s office declined to comment, citing confidentiality.
Smotrich’s statement and confidentiality of warrant requests
Speaking at a press conference, Smotrich said he had been told on Monday evening that the court “submitted a secret request for an international arrest warrant against me.” He did not specify who informed him and did not reveal the ICC’s reasons.
The process of seeking warrants is confidential. Prosecutors can submit a confidential application to judges, who must find reasonable grounds to conclude a suspect has committed crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC in order to approve the application.
Previous ICC warrants related to the Gaza conflict
The court in November 2024 issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence chief, Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.
Smotrich called the arrest warrants against Israeli officials “a declaration of war” by the Palestinian Authority, reflecting Israeli government anger at what it sees as Palestinian backing for international legal action over the Gaza war.
Sanctions and political positions
Britain and four other nations last year imposed sanctions on Smotrich and another far-right Israeli cabinet minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Smotrich has called for the permanent conquest of Gaza and re-establishment of Jewish settlements there that Israel abandoned in 2005, notions that Netanyahu has rejected.
What impact could a potential ICC arrest warrant request have on Israel’s government and international relations?
