International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes ‘antisemitic, absurd’: Netanyahu

Terming the decision as “antisemitic”, Netanyahu’s office said the country will “not yield to pressure, will not be deterred, and will not retreat” until, it said, all of Israel’s war aims are achieved.

The arrest warrant effectively renders Netanyahu and the others internationally wanted suspects, potentially isolating them and complicating any efforts to negotiate a ceasefire to end the hostilities.

Taking to the X, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reacted to the warrants, stating that the International Criminal Court had “lost all legitimacy” and described it as “a dark moment,” accusing the court of issuing “absurd orders without authority”.

US President Joe Biden also criticised the ICC prosecutor, reiterating his support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas, meanwhile, also rejected the ICC’s actions.

Meanwhile, Hamas welcomed the decision in a statement, saying: “We call on the International Criminal Court to expand the scope of accountability to include all criminal occupation leaders.”