![\"Netanyahu](\"https:\/\/mf.b37mrtl.ru\/files\/2024.04\/xxs\/6630c7c02030275c0a7d5eb4.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
\n<\/span>\u00a9\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0RONEN ZVULUN \/ POOL \/ AFP<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked US President Joe Biden to stop the International Criminal Court (ICC) from pursuing him and several other top-ranking Israeli officials, news publisher Axios has claimed. Several media outlets reported last week that the court could charge the Israeli leadership with war crimes over the ongoing military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.<\/p>\n
Israel launched its massive offensive following the deadly October 7 incursion by the radical group\u2019s militants, which claimed the lives of\u00a0an estimated 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians.<\/p>\n
In recent months, the severe response by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the densely populated Palestinian enclave have come under increasing scrutiny and have been broadly criticized \u2013 even by the country\u2019s US and European allies.<\/p>\n
According to Gaza authorities, Israeli strikes have killed more than 34,000 people, mostly civilians. In January, the United Nation\u2019s International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a ruling, saying it was\u00a0\u201cplausible\u201d<\/em>\u00a0that Israeli forces had committed acts of genocide in the enclave.<\/p>\nIn its article on Monday, Axios, citing two anonymous Israeli officials, claimed that Netanyahu had phoned Biden on Sunday, asking him to wield Washington\u2019s clout and prevent the ICC from issuing arrest warrants.<\/p>\n
NBC News, citing an unnamed Israeli official, also claimed on Monday that the ICC could charge Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and unnamed senior military officers, along with the prime minister.<\/p>\n
The US network quoted its source as saying that\u00a0\u201cIsrael is working through diplomatic channels to try to stop the warrants being issued.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>The ICC did not confirm or deny the report, telling reporters that it\u00a0\u201chas an ongoing independent investigation in relation to the situation in the State of Palestine.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nPrime Minister Netanyahu insisted on Friday that Israel\u00a0\u201cwill never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThe threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East\u2019s only democracy and the world\u2019s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).<\/p>\nLaunched in 2021, the ICC\u2019s investigation focuses on alleged war crimes committed by the Israeli military and Palestinian militant groups in the West Bank and Gaza since 2014, when Israel fought a month-long war against Hamas.<\/p>\n
Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize the ICC\u2019s jurisdiction. However, should a warrant in Netanyahu\u2019s name be issued, his travel could be restricted, as the 124 countries that recognize the court may consider themselves obliged to arrest him.<\/p>\n
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked US President Joe Biden to stop the International Criminal Court (ICC) from pursuing him and several other top-ranking Israeli officials, news publisher Axios has claimed. Several media outlets reported last week that the court could charge the Israeli leadership with war crimes over the ongoing military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.<\/p>\n
Israel launched its massive offensive following the deadly October 7 incursion by the radical group\u2019s militants, which claimed the lives of\u00a0an estimated 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians.<\/p>\n
In recent months, the severe response by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the densely populated Palestinian enclave have come under increasing scrutiny and have been broadly criticized \u2013 even by the country\u2019s US and European allies.<\/p>\n
According to Gaza authorities, Israeli strikes have killed more than 34,000 people, mostly civilians. In January, the United Nation\u2019s International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a ruling, saying it was\u00a0\u201cplausible\u201d<\/em>\u00a0that Israeli forces had committed acts of genocide in the enclave.<\/p>\n In its article on Monday, Axios, citing two anonymous Israeli officials, claimed that Netanyahu had phoned Biden on Sunday, asking him to wield Washington\u2019s clout and prevent the ICC from issuing arrest warrants.<\/p>\n NBC News, citing an unnamed Israeli official, also claimed on Monday that the ICC could charge Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and unnamed senior military officers, along with the prime minister.<\/p>\n The US network quoted its source as saying that\u00a0\u201cIsrael is working through diplomatic channels to try to stop the warrants being issued.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>The ICC did not confirm or deny the report, telling reporters that it\u00a0\u201chas an ongoing independent investigation in relation to the situation in the State of Palestine.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Prime Minister Netanyahu insisted on Friday that Israel\u00a0\u201cwill never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThe threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East\u2019s only democracy and the world\u2019s only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).<\/p>\n Launched in 2021, the ICC\u2019s investigation focuses on alleged war crimes committed by the Israeli military and Palestinian militant groups in the West Bank and Gaza since 2014, when Israel fought a month-long war against Hamas.<\/p>\n Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize the ICC\u2019s jurisdiction. However, should a warrant in Netanyahu\u2019s name be issued, his travel could be restricted, as the 124 countries that recognize the court may consider themselves obliged to arrest him.<\/p>\n