Smotrich says ICC made secret arrest warrant request against him

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says prosecutors at the International Criminal Court have made a secret request for an arrest warrant against him. He said he would not be intimidated by the move and described it as a clumsy attempt to pressure Israel over its policy positions. The claim comes after weekend reports that the court was preparing warrants for Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

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Smotrich did not say who had told him about the alleged request or what grounds were being considered. The court denied the initial reports and has not commented on his latest claim. In a press conference, he said the move would not change his position and called it a declaration of war.

He also said he was willing to pay a personal price in order to serve his people. The reported focus on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir is significant because both men are senior figures in the Netanyahu government and have strong influence over policy affecting Palestinians in the West Bank. The row centres on their statements and policies relating to the occupied territory, where they live in settlements considered illegal under international law.

The pair have been accused of fuelling violence against Palestinians and promoting mass displacement. The development also comes against the backdrop of existing ICC action against other senior Israeli officials. The court has already issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war in Gaza.

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In May 2024, the prosecutor also applied for warrants for three Hamas leaders on the same charges, although all three were killed by Israeli forces before any warrants were issued. The ICC has the authority to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes on the territory of states party to the Rome Statute. That makes any move involving senior Israeli ministers politically and legally sensitive, particularly as the war in Gaza and the wider conflict continue to draw international scrutiny.

The latest claim also adds to pressure on the court, whose chief prosecutor Karim Khan has been accused by Israel of targeting senior members of the Netanyahu government. What remains unclear is whether judges have approved any warrant request, what specific allegations would be involved and whether the court intends to make any further statement. It is also not known whether the reported request concerns only Smotrich or includes other officials.

For now, the court has denied the earlier reports and has not addressed Smotrich's latest allegation publicly.

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