International Criminal Court Chief Threatened Over Israel Warrants

International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan received a stark warning in May: if he does not withdraw arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, both he and the ICC would be “destroyed.”

The threatening message came from British-Israeli defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman.

He is reportedly associated with a Netanyahu adviser, during a tense private meeting in The Hague, the Middle East Eye (MEE) reports

Court records reviewed by MEE include a note from the meeting.

There, Kaufman said he was “authorised” by Netanyahu’s legal team to offer a way for Khan to “climb down the tree” by reclassifying the warrants and related documents as “confidential.”

This move, Kaufman suggested, would allow Israel access to the charges without making them public.

But the warning escalated dramatically: Kaufman told Khan that if further warrants were sought, particularly against far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich over West Bank settlement promotion, “all options would be off the table.”

He ominously added: “They will destroy you, and they will destroy the court.”

The warrants were initially issued in November against Netanyahu, Gallant, and Hamas military figure Mohammed Deif, though Deif has since been confirmed dead.

All three were accused of being responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel’s military campaign in Gaza

With these warrants now in force, ICC member states are legally obligated to arrest the Israeli officials if they enter their territories.

Yet many countries have hesitated.

The United Nations special rapporteur Francesca Albanese criticized nations that allowed Netanyahu to fly over their airspace en route to the United States.

Her comments suggested that such actions may violate obligations under the Rome Statute

Kaufman later clarified to MEE that his offer wasn’t tied to the official Israeli government, insisting he lacked authorization to represent it.

Khan, along with his wife (who was present), understood the exchange as a clear threat

The meeting took place as Khan was under investigation over sexual misconduct allegations, which surfaced around the same time.

He was subsequently placed on administrative leave pending that inquiry, an inquiry he vehemently denied and has called a coordinated campaign to derail the court .

Meanwhile, Israel’s response to the ICC warrants has been fierce.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office denounced them as antisemitic, and his allies described them as disproportionate and a threat to Israel’s right to self-defence

President Isaac Herzog called the decision a “dark day for justice,” while defense minister Yoav Gallant called the ICC’s actions “disgraceful”

Israel has also reportedly mounted a secret campaign to undermine the ICC, engaging in surveillance, cyber activity, and pressure tactics aimed at Khan and his predecessor Fatou Bensouda, according to The Guardian

Further complicating matters, major U.S. politicians, including Republican senators, have threatened sanctions against the ICC and Khan.

They did so under the American Service-Members’ Protection Act (“Hague Invasion Act”), warning that targeting Israel could result in “severe consequences”

The ICC president has responded that such pressure endangers the court’s independence .

This high-stakes standoff between the ICC and powerful nation-states, backed by legal threats, cyber campaigns, and personal attacks—places the court’s credibility and survival in jeopardy.

Some analysts argue the ICC risks collapse if it continues to pursue the Israel case ; others contend that halting proceedings would erode faith in international justice.

As the ICC moves forward, Khan must weigh advancing accountability under the Rome Statute against mounting geopolitical pressure.

The outcome will profoundly shape the future of global justice mechanisms.

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