Israel appeals against ICC warrant for Netanyahu-- PM office

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israel told the International Criminal Court(ICC) on Wednesday that it will appeal against arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister.

It also asked the court to suspend the warrants for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant pending the outcome of the appeal, the prime minister's office said in a statement.

The ICC issued the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant last week on suspicion of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza, triggered by the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack.

The warrants drew furious condemnation from Netanyahu and other Israeli politicians.

The prime minister accused the court of anti-Semitism and vowed not to be deterred from defending Israel.

" Israel challenges the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court [ICC] and the legitimacy of the arrest warrants issued," Netanyahu's office said.

"If the court rejects this request, it will further demonstrate to Israel's friends in the United States and around the world how biased the International Criminal Court is against the State of Israel," it added.

The ICC did not make a direct comment on Israel's appeal.

"If requests for appeal are submitted, it would be for the judges to decide," ICC spokesman Fadi Abdallah told reporters when asked about the appeal.

The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif. Israel said in early August it had killed Deif in an air strike in southern Gaza in July, but Hamas has not confirmed his death.

The court said on November 21 it had found "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore "criminal responsibility" for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, as well as the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.