The International Criminal Court has reportedly received a secret request for an arrest warrant against Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Confirming the development at a press conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Smotrich said ICC prosecutors had made the request but claimed there was no clarity over whether warrants would ultimately be issued.
“The prosecutor submitted a request for arrest warrants. Whether they will actually be issued or not, we do not know; they also do not want us to know; this is part of the tactic,” he told reporters.
The comments came as the Israeli politician launched a sharp attack on the Palestinian Authority, accusing it of being behind what he described as coordinated “legal warfare” at both the ICC and International Court of Justice.
“What is certain is that the Palestinian Authority and its people stand behind this entire process,” he said. “They stand behind the legal warfare at the ICC and the International Court of Justice.”
The far-right minister went on to describe the proceedings as “not a diplomatic struggle and not a legal struggle,” but “a declaration of war by a hostile entity against the State of Israel.”
Smotrich warned that Israel would respond “forcefully,” adding that he would sign a military order to advance the evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin community in the strategic E1 corridor between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim – Jerusalem has sought for years to relocate the community.
Shortly after the briefing, his office issued a letter instructing officials to take “all necessary measures” to carry out the evacuation.
“I promise all our enemies: This is only the beginning,” Smotrich said at the press briefing.
“From today onward, every economic or other target I can act against within my authority as finance minister or as a minister in the Defence Ministry will be targeted—not with words and gimmicks, but with actions,” he added.
Israeli media reported that ICC prosecutors are also considering secret arrest warrant requests against Defence Minister Israel Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as well as scrutiny of senior IDF officials.
The ICC previously issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over the Gaza war, as well as Hamas leaders Mohammed Deif, Ismail Haniyeh, and Yahya Sinwar.
Last June, the UK and four other Western countries sanctioned Smotrich and Ben-Gvir over what they said were "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities" in the West Bank. The Israeli government said the measures were "outrageous".
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