![\"Israeli](\"https:\/\/mf.b37mrtl.ru\/files\/2024.05\/xxs\/6655e2a685f5406a90188c1c.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\nFILE PHOTO: Fatou Bensouda.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a9\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0ASHRAF SHAZLY \/ AFP<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nThe former chief of Israel\u2019s Mossad intelligence agency, Yossi Cohen, allegedly\u00a0\u00a0\u201cthreatened\u201d<\/em>\u00a0the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to drop a war crimes probe launched in 2021, an investigation by The Guardian revealed on Tuesday.<\/p>\nSources told the outlet that, several years ago, then-Mossad director Cohen attempted to threaten the former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in a series of secret meetings.<\/p>\n
Cohen\u2019s covert contact and pressuring of Bensouda took place in the years leading up to her decision to open a formal probe into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories, the report said, citing multiple anonymous sources.<\/p>\n
Mossad\u2019s objective was to\u00a0\u201ccompromise the prosecutor or enlist her as someone who would cooperate with Israel\u2019s demands,\u201d<\/em> as well as pressuring Bensouda to abandon her investigation, the article stated.<\/p>\nBensouda reportedly briefed a small group of senior ICC officials about Cohen\u2019s attempts, expressing concern about his\u00a0\u201cpersistent and threatening nature.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nSources familiar with Bensouda\u2019s disclosures to the ICC confirmed that Cohen had threatened her multiple times, with one of the officials saying the Mossad chief had used\u00a0\u201cdespicable tactics\u201d<\/em>\u00a0against Bensouda as part of an ultimately unsuccessful effort to influence her. The behavior was likened to\u00a0\u201cstalking.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nAccording to accounts shared with ICC officials, Cohen allegedly told the ICC prosecutor:\u00a0\u201cYou should help us and let us take care of you. You don\u2019t want to be getting into things that could compromise your security or that of your family.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nIsraeli intelligence agencies conducted a covert\u00a0\u201cwar\u201d<\/em>\u00a0against the ICC for nearly a decade, aiming to derail investigations into alleged Israeli war crimes, the outlet said.<\/p>\nThe revelations come as Bensouda\u2019s successor, Karim Khan, last week applied for an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant based on the probe launched in 2021.<\/p>\n
Khan said there were\u00a0\u201creasonable grounds to believe\u201d<\/em>\u00a0that top officials were guilty of\u00a0\u201cwar crimes and crimes against humanity\u201d<\/em>\u00a0in the Gaza conflict. Khan also said he was seeking warrants for three senior members of Hamas.<\/p>\nIsrael is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize the jurisdiction of the court. Both Israel and its main ally, the US, have condemned the ICC announcement, with some US lawmakers calling for sanctions on The Hague court.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Israel also faced accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest United Nations court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The former chief of Israel\u2019s Mossad intelligence agency, Yossi Cohen, allegedly\u00a0\u00a0\u201cthreatened\u201d<\/em>\u00a0the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to drop a war crimes probe launched in 2021, an investigation by The Guardian revealed on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Sources told the outlet that, several years ago, then-Mossad director Cohen attempted to threaten the former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in a series of secret meetings.<\/p>\n Cohen\u2019s covert contact and pressuring of Bensouda took place in the years leading up to her decision to open a formal probe into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories, the report said, citing multiple anonymous sources.<\/p>\n Mossad\u2019s objective was to\u00a0\u201ccompromise the prosecutor or enlist her as someone who would cooperate with Israel\u2019s demands,\u201d<\/em> as well as pressuring Bensouda to abandon her investigation, the article stated.<\/p>\n Bensouda reportedly briefed a small group of senior ICC officials about Cohen\u2019s attempts, expressing concern about his\u00a0\u201cpersistent and threatening nature.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Sources familiar with Bensouda\u2019s disclosures to the ICC confirmed that Cohen had threatened her multiple times, with one of the officials saying the Mossad chief had used\u00a0\u201cdespicable tactics\u201d<\/em>\u00a0against Bensouda as part of an ultimately unsuccessful effort to influence her. The behavior was likened to\u00a0\u201cstalking.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n According to accounts shared with ICC officials, Cohen allegedly told the ICC prosecutor:\u00a0\u201cYou should help us and let us take care of you. You don\u2019t want to be getting into things that could compromise your security or that of your family.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Israeli intelligence agencies conducted a covert\u00a0\u201cwar\u201d<\/em>\u00a0against the ICC for nearly a decade, aiming to derail investigations into alleged Israeli war crimes, the outlet said.<\/p>\n The revelations come as Bensouda\u2019s successor, Karim Khan, last week applied for an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant based on the probe launched in 2021.<\/p>\n Khan said there were\u00a0\u201creasonable grounds to believe\u201d<\/em>\u00a0that top officials were guilty of\u00a0\u201cwar crimes and crimes against humanity\u201d<\/em>\u00a0in the Gaza conflict. Khan also said he was seeking warrants for three senior members of Hamas.<\/p>\n Israel is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize the jurisdiction of the court. Both Israel and its main ally, the US, have condemned the ICC announcement, with some US lawmakers calling for sanctions on The Hague court.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, Israel also faced accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest United Nations court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n