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What You Need to Know About the ICC Arrest Warrants for Israeli Leaders
You may have heard that the ICC (International Criminal Court) is on a path toward issuing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. But you may not know how this came about, where we are in the process, and what it could mean for Israel, America, and the entire free world.
To help you cut through the disorganized reports, sensationalism, and widespread misinformation, here is a thorough and clear update — from a lawyer.
The ICC is distinct from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). At the ICJ, South Africa is attempting to make a case against Israel for genocide, which will take years to complete. However in the meantime, South Africa has repeatedly presented emergency motions for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, including an attempt just last week which does not technically accomplish that goal, but comes perilously close.
Separately, but in parallel, the ICC prosecutor, Karim A. Khan, has brought a request to the ICC to issue international arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as several Hamas leaders.
If granted, these arrest warrants will make it impossible for Netanyahu to leave Israel and enter any of the 124 countries that are members of the ICC (approximately two thirds of the world), as well any additional countries that have mutual law enforcement agreements, such as all Interpol countries.
The United States is not an ICC member, and would be unlikely to enforce the warrant, however most European countries are either ICC or Interpol members (or both), as well as much of South America and some of the Asia-Pacific.
So how did this all come about?
The ICJ has jurisdiction over Israel because Israel signed the Genocide Convention of 1948. In fact, Israel helped draft the document, which is meaningfully connected to the very soul of Israel, as the whole concept is an outgrowth of the Holocaust. It is therefore a cruel irony that Hamas and its allies would weaponize the ICJ against Israel. Paradoxically the ICJ does not have jurisdiction over Hamas, so if they do issue a “ceasefire” order, it will be one in which Israel ceases, but Hamas fires.
By contrast, the ICC does not have jurisdiction over Israel, except insofar as the Court unilaterally decided that it does.
Specifically, the ICC is charged with enforcing an international treaty called the Rome Statute, which was ratified by 124 countries but notably, not by Israel or the United States. How then did the ICC come to the conclusion that it can enforce a treaty over a country that never actually agreed to it?
The ICC’s rules hold that the Court may exercise jurisdiction over any events that occur inside the borders of a member state. The ICC recognizes a Palestinian state, and includes it as a member of the ICC. Although the “state” of Palestine has no recognized borders or territory, the ICC nonetheless ruled in 2015 that events occurring inside the West Bank and the Gaza Strip count as being “inside” the “borders” of the “State of Palestine,” and are therefore subject to the Court’s jurisdiction.
In recent days, the ICC prosecutor accused Israel of a number of violations of the Rome Statute, which is paradoxical on several levels at once: for one, Israel never agreed to be bound by the Rome Statute, and secondly, the specific accusations are patently untrue.
For example, the prosecutor accuses Israel of preventing the flow of humanitarian aid, even though according to well verified data, Gaza has received enough aid to feed every man, woman, and child twice over. (There is nonetheless an apparent food shortage as both Hamas and UNRWA employees steal much of the food.) The prosecutor accuses Israel of closing the crossings by which aid enters the Gaza Strip (the crossings are actually open and active despite Hamas’ frequent bombings of the crossings) and, of course, Israel stands accused of genocide, despite taking historic measures to protect civilians, and producing the lowest civilian to combatant casualty ratio for a conflict of this type in human history.
Moreover, by requesting arrest warrants against both Israeli leaders and Hamas terror operatives, Prosecutor Khan has effectively drawn an astonishing moral and legal equivalence between Israel, a modern Western democracy with a famously independent judiciary, and one of the world’s most notorious terror groups — and a parallel between the October 7 terrorist massacre, and the self defense of the very victims of that massacre.
To be clear, the arrest warrants have not yet been issued, but are currently being presented to the ICC’s panel of 18 judges for approval. Yet this arrest approval process is not a trial in which both sides present evidence and make arguments. To the contrary, the prosecutor needs to show merely that there are “reasonable grounds” for the arrest warrants, but without the accused having a right to reply or to present evidence as part of that decision. This process is roughly comparable to what American courts call a “Grand Jury hearing,” and American lawyers have an old joke that in such hearings the evidentiary requirements are so low that, “a Grand Jury will indict a ham sandwich if you ask them to.”
So in a cruel paradox, by the ICC’s own rules, evidence is irrelevant, truth is irrelevant, and even reality itself is irrelevant. It is enough that the ICC prosecutor makes an accusation, and then world leaders who never even agreed to the Court’s jurisdiction can find themselves subject to its arrest powers. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that Khan will stop with Israeli leaders — by Khan’s logic, as expressed in this prosecution, it is possible that IDF soldiers and former IDF soldiers (in other words, most Israelis) could eventually face international arrest as well.
So what happens now?
It is not clear how long it will take the judges to approve the arrest warrants — deliberations could take anywhere from days to months. It is rare that the ICC judges would refuse to approve an arrest warrant, but this case may be different because the United States has announced that it will take action.
Fearing that America’s enemies could use the ICC as a weapon against American leaders and soldiers, the US not only refused to join the ICC, but also passed a bipartisan law in 2002 affirming that America would protect American service people and allies against a weaponization of the Court. A bipartisan bill currently working its way through Congress envisions placing sanctions on the ICC prosecutor, the judges, and their families. This would limit their ability to travel, and also may shut down their bank accounts and other access to basic day to day life necessities — in other words, this is a powerful diplomatic tool.
Although it is not clear what will happen in the coming days and months with respect to the ICC, one thing is clear: Hamas, which cannot defeat the IDF on the battlefield, is attempting to weaponize international law to defeat Israel off the battlefield. Whether they will succeed, and whether other terror organizations use such weapons in the future, depends on how Israel and America respond in the days to come.
An important additional note: many throughout the world, including some Israelis, blithely say that some Israeli leaders are “criminals” and deserve to be arrested (a common refrain in politics). Yet the specific claims against Israeli leaders in this case do not relate to normal domestic political issues, such as corruption, judicial reform, or the like. To the contrary, the case against Israel relates to issues on which almost all Israelis agree — specifically the performance of the IDF and Israel’s self defense.
In fact, it is notable that the Israeli prime minister is not the “Commander in Chief ” of the armed forces as the US president is. Rather, that role belongs to the war cabinet, which is composed of Israeli representatives from the right, left, and center, and enjoys broad public support. In other words, a criticism of the IDF or of Israel’s self defense in Gaza is not merely a criticism of Netanyahu as some like to claim, but rather of the entire State of Israel and the broad consensus of the Israeli people.
Daniel Pomerantz is the CEO of RealityCheck, an organization dedicated to deepening public conversation through robust research studies and public speaking.
The post What You Need to Know About the ICC Arrest Warrants for Israeli Leaders first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran, Russia Conduct Naval Drills, High-Level Talks as Tehran Seeks Support Ahead of Nuclear Talks With the West
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi speaks during a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Tehran, Iran, July 12, 2025. Photo: Hamid Forootan/Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
Iran and Russia launched a joint naval drill in the Caspian Sea this week, signaling closer military ties just days before Tehran resumes talks with the United Kingdom, France, and Germany in a bid to prevent the reinstatement of UN sanctions.
The joint maritime rescue and security drill, dubbed CASAREX 2025, marks a show of force and cooperation between Iranian and Russian forces, coming just weeks after Israel — with support from the United States — launched an airstrike campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The three-day exercise, which began Monday, includes participation from the Iranian Navy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, Iran’s Law Enforcement Command, and the Russian Navy, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
On Friday, Iran is expected to resume nuclear talks with Germany, France, and Britain — collectively known as the E3 — after the trio threatened to reinstate UN sanctions on Tehran by activating the “snapback” clause of the 2015 nuclear deal if no new agreement is reached by the end of August.
Officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and several world powers, from which the US withdrew in 2018, imposed temporary restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Iran has warned it will take action if sanctions over its nuclear program are reinstated, without specifying what those measures might be.
“The snapback mechanism is meaningless, unjustifiable, unethical, and illegal,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said during a press conference.
Baghaei also reaffirmed that the Islamist regime has “no plans to hold talks with the US in the current situation.”
Following the 12-day war with Israel, Iran has sought to rebuild its damaged nuclear sites and strengthen its military capabilities by relying on support from Russia and China amid growing international pressure.
On Tuesday, Tehran held talks with Russia and China to bolster their alliance as sanctions threats mount and nuclear negotiations approach.
“We are in constant consultation with these two countries to prevent activation of the snapback or to mitigate its consequences,” Baghaei said during a Monday press briefing. “We have aligned positions and good relations.”
In a Fox News interview aired Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reaffirmed that Iran will not abandon its uranium enrichment program, despite recent Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear facilities.
“We cannot give up enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride,” the top Iranian diplomat said. “Our enrichment is so dear to us.”
Last week, Araghchi met with Russian and Chinese officials at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) security forum, where he called for closer strategic coordination and collective resistance to counter mounting pressure from the West.
China, a key diplomatic and economic backer of Tehran, has moved to deepen ties in recent years — signing a 25-year cooperation agreement, holding joint naval drills, and continuing to purchase Iranian oil despite US sanctions.
Russia has also expanded its ties with Iran to counter Western influence in the Middle East and mitigate the impact of US sanctions. For example, Russia pledged earlier this year to fund the construction of new nuclear power plants in Iran as part of a broader energy partnership that also includes a major gas deal between the two countries.
However, both China and Russia largely held back more concrete and robust support for Iran during the recent conflict with Israel, opting for cautious diplomacy rather than direct backing.
The post Iran, Russia Conduct Naval Drills, High-Level Talks as Tehran Seeks Support Ahead of Nuclear Talks With the West first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israeli MMA Fighter Wants to Fight Muslim Boxer Who Chased Jewish Man in NYC
Natan Levy steps on the scale for the official weigh-in at the UFC Apex for UFC Fight Night – Font vs Vera on April 29, 2022 in LAS VEGAS, United States. Photo: Sports Press Photo via Reuters Connect
Israeli mixed martial artist Natan Levy challenged Muslim YouTuber and lightweight professional boxer Adam Saleh to a fight after videos circulated online of the latter chasing a Jewish, Israeli man through a New York City park while wearing boxing gloves and shouting “Free Palestine.”
The incident in Washington Square Park began when the Zionist Israeli, live streaming his interaction with Saleh, twice told the boxer “I f–king hate Palestine, I hope they [Palestinians] all get murdered.” He further said about Palestine: “They’re losers; we are going to win.” When Saleh accused Israel of committing genocide during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the Israeli replied, “Genocide? It’s a war. It’s not a genocide.”
The angry boxer then offered to fight the man in the park, but his opponent declined and said he would only fight Saleh in a gym instead of illegally in the park. Saleh agreed to take their altercation to a gym, but the man shortly afterward backed out of the fight. Saleh then rallied together a group of locals and told them the Israeli man “supports people killing kids, he hates Palestine.” Saleh and his group of supporters chanted “Free Palestine” repeatedly and Saleh again challenged the man to a fight in the park. He also accused the man of being “definitely Israeli” because the latter said he felt like Saleh was trying to assault him.
As seen in multiple videos on social media, Saleh then put on a pair of boxing gloves and told the Jewish man, “Fight me now or get the f–k out of here.” The man tried to get away from Saleh but the boxer ran after him, chasing him throughout the park. One of Saleh’s teenage family members, who was among the people who chased the Israeli through the park, said: “This is what Israelis do — they run.” Park officials eventually intervened to stop the incident and help the Israeli man exit the park safely, but not before Salah gathered together even more parkgoers – roughly 15 people – to chant “Free Palestine.”
In response to the incident, Levy asked in an Instagram post on Monday: “Adam Saleh, Are you man enough to fight when you don’t outnumber an untrained guy at the park? Let me know where and when. Am Israel Chai.”
Levy’s post included a video with footage from the incident in Washington Square Park and also another incident from December, in which Salah tried to remove an Israeli flag from a Jewish-owned coffee shop in New York City and chanted “Free, free Palestine” inside the establishment. Levy’s video on Monday also shows private messages that he and Saleh exchanged on Instagram about last week’s incident before the Muslim boxer blocked Levy.
“Adam Saleh, I see it makes you feel like a big man to chase Israelis in the park and harass older people at a kosher restaurant,” Levy said in the clip he shared on Instagram this week. “I tried to talk to you civilly on Instagram but you played the victim and then blocked me. Now, you’re a boxer and I’m a real fighter. So I got an offer for you. If you have a problem with Israelis, Jews, Zionists … you tell me where and when, and I’ll meet you. See you soon [sic].”
“Saleh, I’m in your city, man. I’m in New York at the park, but you’re nowhere to be found,” Levy said. “I called you out but no response. You were brave when it was five-on-one but now that it’s just one-on-one, man-t0-man. Let me know where and when we can meet and settle this.”
The post Israeli MMA Fighter Wants to Fight Muslim Boxer Who Chased Jewish Man in NYC first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran Says It Agrees to Visit by IAEA Technical Team in Coming Weeks
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi arrives on the opening day of the agency’s quarterly Board of Governors meeting at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 20, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Lisa Leutner
Iran has agreed to allow a technical team from the UN nuclear watchdog to visit in the coming weeks to discuss relations between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Tehran, Iran‘s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday.
“The delegation will come to Iran to discuss the modality, not to go to the [nuclear] sites,” he told reporters during a visit to New York for meetings at the United Nations.
The IAEA had no specific comment on his remarks, but said IAEA chief Rafael Grossi was “actively engaging with all parties involved in the Iran nuclear issue.”
The IAEA has said it is essential for it to be able to resume inspections in Iran following air strikes by Israel and the US last month that aimed to destroy the country’s nuclear program in a bid to stop Tehran building a nuclear weapon.
Tehran denies seeking a nuclear weapon and says its nuclear program is solely meant for civilian purposes.
“Our Atomic Energy Organization is assessing, actually, the damages to the nuclear installations, and we are waiting to receive their report. In this regard, it’s a very dangerous work. We do not know what has happened there … because of the risks of the radiation,” Gharibabadi said.
Diplomats have in particular raised concerns about the fate of some 400 kg of highly enriched uranium stocks, which Iran has not updated the IAEA on.
Gharibabadi said the IAEA has not officially asked about the fate of those stocks and that Tehran “cannot say anything now because we do not have any valid and credible report from [Iran‘s] Atomic Energy Organization.”
Any negotiations over Iran‘s future nuclear program will require its cooperation with the IAEA, which angered Iran in June by declaring on the eve of the Israeli strikes that Tehran was violating non-proliferation treaty commitments.
Gharibabadi said he would travel to Istanbul to meet with Britain, France, and Germany on Friday. They, along with China and Russia, are the remaining parties to a 2015 nuclear deal that the US quit in 2018. Under the deal, sanctions on Iran were eased in return for restrictions on its nuclear program.
Separately, Tehran and Washington have this year held five rounds of nuclear talks mediated by Oman. Gharibabadi said these are focused on negotiating transparency measures by Iran with regard to its nuclear program and the lifting of US sanctions.
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