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Far-Right Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich Slams ICC Arrest Warrant Request as Declaration of War
Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced during a press conference in Jerusalem that the International Criminal Court prosecutor has submitted a secret request for an international arrest warrant against him. Characterizing the move as a blatant declaration of war by a hostile entity, Smotrich directly blamed the Palestinian Authority for orchestrating the international legal campaign against senior Israeli political figures.
While the International Criminal Court declined to formally comment on the matter due to the sealed and confidential nature of warrant applications, Smotrich strongly suggested the legal action targets his aggressive role in expanding Jewish settlements across the occupied West Bank. As a minister within the Defense Ministry with civil authority over the territory, Smotrich boasted that the current right-wing coalition has authorized over 100 new settlements and 160 farming outposts to intentionally prevent any future possibility of an independent Palestinian state. International bodies, including the United Nations and the International Court of Justice, consider these ongoing settlement expansions a direct violation of the Geneva Conventions and a documented war crime.
In immediate retaliation for the prosecutor's move, Smotrich announced he had signed a military order to immediately evacuate and demolish the long-disputed Palestinian Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar, located east of Jerusalem. Palestinian officials quickly condemned the forced evacuation order, calling it a dangerous strategic project aimed at cutting off geographic contiguity in the West Bank and urging a firm international intervention to halt the displacement.
The geopolitical friction occurs amid growing concern in Jerusalem that the Hague-based court is expanding its scope to target multiple members of the Israeli cabinet. Intelligence reports suggest that the ICC prosecutor may be actively seeking secret warrants for Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as well. In response to the potential legal actions, Ben-Gvir publicly stated that he remains completely undeterred by the court's actions.
The escalation marks a continuation of the ongoing legal battles between Israel and the international court. The ICC previously issued landmark arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In response to those initial actions, the United States government placed targeted sanctions on several ICC judges involved in investigating American citizens and close international allies. Smotrich maintained that Israel is a sovereign and independent nation that will not accept hypocritical dictates from biased international bodies.
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By: CNN Newsource
May 19, 2026
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