ICC arrest warrants for Israeli ministers ready but may be buried under U.S. threats
By isabelle // 2025-08-18
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  • The ICC prepared arrest warrants for Israeli ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich on apartheid charges but may abandon them due to U.S. pressure.
  • Ben Gvir and Smotrich openly advocate ethnic cleansing, with histories of racist extremism and calls for Gaza’s destruction.
  • The ICC’s delay risks burying critical evidence of apartheid, betraying its mandate to hold war criminals accountable.
  • Israel’s policies—segregation, military rule, and land theft—meet the legal definition of apartheid under international law.
  • U.S. sanctions and political bullying threaten to shield Israeli leaders from justice, exposing the ICC’s growing impotence.
We’ve reached a new low in global justice. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has completed arrest warrant applications against two of Israel’s most genocidal ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, on charges of apartheid. Yet, thanks to cowardice and U.S. bullying, these warrants may never be filed. If that happens, the world will have blood on its hands. According to Middle East Eye, the applications were fully prepared by former ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan before he went on leave in May. “There was no more work to do on the applications,” an ICC source confirmed. “They’re not being drafted. They weren’t being revised. They were done.” But instead of justice, we’re getting silence. The two deputy prosecutors now holding these cases, Nazhat Shameem Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang, are reportedly too afraid of U.S. sanctions to act.

The monsters in question

Let’s be clear: Ben Gvir and Smotrich aren’t just extremists; they’re architects of ethnic cleansing. Ben Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, is a convicted racist who once hung a portrait of mass murderer Baruch Goldstein in his living room. Smotrich, the finance minister, openly calls for Jewish supremacy over Palestinians. Both men have pushed for the total destruction of Gaza City, with Netanyahu’s tacit approval. As The Times of Israel reported, they’ve demanded the IDF raze entire neighborhoods, even if it means abandoning hostage rescue efforts. These aren’t fringe figures. They’re senior ministers in Israel’s government, and their rhetoric isn’t just hateful; it’s genocidal. Smotrich has called for “voluntary emigration” of Gazans (a euphemism for forced displacement), while Ben Gvir has cheered the idea of taking down "as many Hamasniks as possible.” Their policies aren’t just war crimes; they’re crimes against humanity, plain and simple.

The ICC’s cowardice

The ICC was supposed to be a beacon of accountability. Instead, it’s caving to political pressure. The U.S. has already sanctioned ICC judges and prosecutors, including Khan, who faced threats from Israeli officials and even a Mossad team in The Hague. Now, his deputies are dragging their feet. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” said Raji Sourani, a Palestinian lawyer representing victims at the ICC. “What are they waiting for? They have everything.” Worse yet, there’s a real chance these warrants will be buried. One ICC source warned that if the applications “just disappear,” the world may lose its best shot at prosecuting apartheid in our lifetime. That’s not hyperbole; it’s a damning indictment of how far the ICC has fallen. Apartheid isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a legal term under the Rome Statute, defined as systematic oppression by one racial group over another. Israel’s policies—segregated roads, military rule over Palestinians, and land theft—fit the definition perfectly. Even Israel’s own human rights group, B’Tselem, has called it apartheid. The International Court of Justice agreed in July 2024, ruling that Israel’s occupation is illegal. Yet here we are, watching the ICC flinch. The U.S. and its allies have already sanctioned Smotrich and Ben Gvir for “incitement to violence,” but that’s not enough. These men belong in prison, not in power.

A system that rewards brutality

This isn’t just about two ministers. It’s about a system that rewards brutality. Israel’s weapons industry thrives on testing its tools on Palestinians before selling them to dictators worldwide. Its leaders, like Netanyahu, have spent decades perfecting the art of occupation, all while the West turns a blind eye. If the ICC fails to act, it will be a moral surrender. The world will have signaled that some war criminals are untouchable. The ball is in the ICC’s court. The applications are ready, and the evidence is overwhelming. The only question is whether the prosecutors have the spine to do their jobs. Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net TheGuardian.com NewArab.com TimesOfIsrael.com
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