Israel's Smotrich claims secret ICC arrest warrant request, vows 'war'

Israel's far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich says prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have made a "secret" request for an arrest warrant to be issued against him, but insisted he would not be intimidated by the move.

Over the weekend, reports emerged that the ICC was preparing to issue warrants against Mr Smotrich and his cabinet colleague, national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, because of their statements and policies relating to Palestinians in the West Bank.

The pair, who live in settlements in the West Bank considered illegal under international law, have been accused of fuelling violence against Palestinians and promoting mass displacement.

The ICC denied the initial reports, and has not commented on Mr Smotrich's claims since.

The finance minister did not specify who had told him about the arrest warrant or the grounds for it being issued.

But he has remained defiant and criticised the court, which has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war in Gaza.

"The clumsy attempt to force upon us a policy of security suicide through sanctions and arrest warrants will not succeed," Mr Smotrich said in a press conference.

"On a personal level, they do not intimidate me. I am willing to pay personal prices in order to serve my people. If I am required to pay such a price, I do so proudly and with my head held high.

Mr Smotrich described the warrant as a "declaration of war" and promised to "respond with war".

"The Palestinian Authority has started a war, and it will get a war. From today onward, every economic or other target within my power to harm, under my authority as finance minister and as a minister in the defence ministry, will be targeted. Not talk and gimmicks — actions."

He then issued a declaration ordering the destruction of a Palestinian Bedouin community east of Jerusalem, called Khan al-Ahmar. It is close to one of the largest illegal Jewish settlement in the West Bank, called Ma'ale Adumim.

Settler violence surges

Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben-Gvir are two of the most outspoken and controversial members of the Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, and have been sanctioned by countries including Australia on allegations of inciting violence against the Palestinian population and promoting their displacement.

Australia is a member of the ICC, while Israel is not.

The pair have promoted their desire for the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, and Mr Smotrich has even spoken about seizing territory in places such as Lebanon.

In recent weeks, Mr Ben-Gvir has successfully pushed for a new law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians tried and convicted in the Israeli military justice system.

Organisations including the United Nations have reported settler violence against Palestinians has surged to unprecedented levels, with many residents of West Bank communities fearing the Israelis have become emboldened by the hard-line of the Netanyahu coalition ministers.

The situation has deteriorated to such a point that senior members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have sounded alarm over the situation.

ICC head under investigation

The Israeli government has labelled the court antisemitic in its pursuit of senior Israeli officials, and accused it of overlooking crimes by Hamas committed against Israel on October 7 2023.

When arrest warrants were issued against Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza in November 2024, the ICC also said it was pursuing senior Hamas official Mohammed Deif.

That is despite Israel claiming it had already killed Deif. Hamas confirmed the death months later.

The United States has also criticised the ICC, and has issued sanctions against some of its judges and key staff.

That response from the Trump administration may explain the secrecy around the latest arrest warrant process, with prosecutors not wanting to draw immediate attention to the situation.

The chief prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan KC, has been accused of sexual misconduct and is under investigation.

Earlier this month he told Middle East Eye the allegations were unfounded, and said he had been subjected to an intense intimidation campaign as a result of his decision to pursue warrants against people like Mr Netanyahu.