Israel submits request to disqualify the ICC Prosecutor and to cancel the warrants concerning Israel

(MFA Spokesperson Announcement)

The State of Israel submitted today (Monday, 17 November 2025) to the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) a request to disqualify the Court’s Prosecutor, Mr. Karim Khan, from involvement in proceedings concerning Israel. Additionally, Israel requests that the Court cancel the baseless arrest warrants issued by the Prosecutor against the prime minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, and the former Minister of Defense, Mr. Yoav Gallant. 

The request was submitted following information and grave reports raising serious concern that the Prosecutor acted out of improper personal motives to advance false and unfounded allegations against Israel. These actions were intended to divert public attention from severe accusations against him of serial sexual harassment of a subordinate employee. In this context, the Prosecutor advanced baseless and outrageous warrants against the Prime Minister and the former Minister of Defense of a democratic state.

The State of Israel emphasizes that the contamination of the proceedings caused by the Prosecutor’s conduct is profound and irreparable. Therefore, Israel requests that the Court’s Appeals Chamber disqualify the Prosecutor from involvement in cases relating to Israel and to declare that the arrest warrants issued against the Prime Minister and the former Minister of Defense are of no force or effect. 

The aforementioned request in no way affects Israel’s other claims regarding the invalidity of the warrants, including due to the Court’s lack of jurisdiction.