ICC chief prosecutor defends arrest warrants for Netanyahu

LONDON

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has defended arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that justice must be seen to be done.

In an interview with BBC, Karim Khan said that it was important to show the court would hold all nations to the same standard in relation to alleged war crimes, welcoming the UK government's decision to drop its opposition to the arrest warrants.

In July, the British government reversed its opposition to the ICC seeking an arrest warrant against Netanyahu.

Khan announced in May that the court was seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of committing war crimes.

He has also requested warrants for three Hamas leaders, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh.

Khan elaborated that the ICC needed to request warrants for leaders on both sides to ensure people around the world thought the court was applying "the law equally based upon some common standards."

"If one had applied for warrants in relation to Israeli officials and not for Gaza, [some would] say: ‘well, this is an obscenity’ and, ‘how on earth is that possible?’” he said in the interview, published on Thursday.

Israel's prime minister and defense minister were suspected of crimes including starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, murder, intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population, and extermination.

"The application is not public. It is confidential. It is filed to the chamber. So they are guessing what evidence has been submitted," he added.

He also noted that he had been pressured by some world leaders not to issue warrants, adding: "Several leaders and others told me and advised me and cautioned me."