ICC prosecutor pressured by powerful interests against opening case on Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Galant

ICC prosecutor pressured by powerful interests against opening case on Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Galant

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, said that he is under pressure from the leaders of countries not to issue an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Yoav Galant.

Khan stated in his interview with the BBC on Friday that he had seen the evidence on which the decision to issue the memorandum was based in his response to those who criticized him for his request.

He noted that the ICC should request arrest warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders to ensure that people around the world see the court applying the law “equally on the basis of some common standards.”

Khan emphasized that it is necessary to avoid treating supported countries, whether from NATO, European countries, or powerful countries, differently from unsupported countries.

He explained that he was under pressure from some world leaders not to issue an arrest warrant. “Many leaders and others told me, advised me, and warned me.”

The ICC Prosecutor also welcomed the withdrawal of the new British government’s objection to submitting a request to issue an arrest warrant against Netanyahu.