The International Criminal Court (ICC) is preparing to issue an arrest warrant against Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for the war in Gaza. For its part, Israel is trying to prevent the International Criminal Court from issuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and senior military officials.

Such has been the panic that has been created in Tel Aviv that the country has asked the United States for help to try to prevent it. But what would happen if this happened? Who would be affected and how? Could they also investigate Israeli citizens?

Who would it affect?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would top that list, although he has already made it clear that he does not recognize the court or this alleged arrest warrant. He would also involve, according to the Israeli press, his Defense Minister, Yoav Galant, and the Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi. All of them in charge of operations within the Gaza Strip that left almost 35,000 Palestinians murdered.

What would it mean?

If the arrest warrant goes ahead, if those investigated travel to any of the 124 countries that recognize this court, they could be arrested. The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, for example, has stayed away from most international meetings since the court issued an arrest warrant against him and to avoid this he only travels to countries that, like the Kremlin, do not recognize him. .

Can you investigate Israeli citizens?

Israeli citizens could also be investigatedalthough only if those individuals are suspected of having committed genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity from a position of power.

In fact, the International Criminal Court can only take action if States themselves are unable or unwilling to prosecute such crimes. The pressure and support of those who do recognize the institution is also relevant. The United States, for example, has already demonstrated its disagreement with this possible investigation into the actions of its ally.

The US is against

The president of the United States House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, described this Tuesday as “embarrassing“the possibility that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will end up issuing an arrest warrant against the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, for alleged violations of International Law in the Gaza Strip following the offensive against the Resistance Movement Islamic (Hamas).

“It is shameful that the ICC is apparently planning to issue baseless and illegitimate arrest warrants against the Israeli Prime Minister and other senior Israeli officials,” Johnson said in a statement.

The Republican congressman assured that this “illegal” action would undermine US security and sovereignty interests because it could even lead to the issuance of arrest warrants against US politicians, diplomats and military personnel.

Thus, the State Department stressed that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over the military offensive launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip, and that Israel is not a signatory of the Rome Statute and, therefore, is not a party to the ICC nor does it recognize its jurisdiction; However, Palestine has been admitted as a member since 2015.