Netanyahu blasts ICC as ‘kangaroo court,’ says it should worry about its own legitimacy

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched another broadside against the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday after its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, requested arrest warrants against him and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes.

Speaking to ABC News on Tuesday, Netanyahu accused Khan of turning the ICC into a “kangaroo court,” noting that he should be worried about his international legitimacy in the future.

The prosecutor was “out to demonize Israel,” and carrying out “a hit job,” Netanyahu continued.

“He’s creating a false symmetry between the democratically elected leaders of Israel and the terrorist chieftains. That’s like saying after 9/11, well, I’m issuing arrest warrants for George Bush, but also for [Osama] bin Laden.”

“He’s also pouring gasoline on the fires of antisemitism that are spreading around the world. He is attacking the one and only Jewish state and trying to handcuff us,” Netanyahu said, warning that the move would set a precedent against Israel and could in the future be used to deprive other democracies of the ability to defend themselves against terrorists embedded among civilian populations.

Netanyahu denied being worried about his ability to travel to ICC member states in the future.

“I’m not concerned at all about our status. I think the prosecutor should be concerned about his status because he is really turning the ICC into a pariah institution. People are just not going to take it seriously,” he said.

“They see it as a politicized thing. I hope the judges don’t confirm what he says, because they will make them into a kangaroo court.”

The next day, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated that if the arrest warrants were issued, his country would indeed arrest Netanyahu and Gallant.

“If they or any Hamas leaders arrive in Norway, according to international law, we are obligated to arrest them. The same principle applies to all European countries, except Turkey,” the foreign minister said on Norwegian TV 2.

Gallant blasted the announcement on Tuesday, calling it “despicable.”

“Since October 7, the State of Israel is fighting against a brutal terrorist organization, Hamas — an enemy that conducted atrocities against Israeli children, women, and men. Now, it also uses its own people as human shields,” Gallant said.

“The IDF is fighting in accordance with international law while taking unprecedented measures to facilitate humanitarian aid,” the Israeli defense minister added, noting he was proud of the IDF and the conduct of its soldiers.

“The attempt made by the ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to overturn things will not succeed – the parallel he has drawn between the Hamas terrorist organization and the State of Israel is despicable,” he continued.

“The State of Israel is not a party to the Court and does not recognize its authority.”