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Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's far-right Finance Minister, said connected Tuesday (May 19, 2026) helium was informed that the authoritative astatine the International Criminal Court in the Hague has requested a "secret" apprehension warrant against him.
Mr. Smotrich, speaking astatine a press conference, did not specify who had informed him of the warrant connected Monday (May 18, 2026) evening, and the process of seeking warrants is confidential. He besides did not uncover the ICC's reasons.
The bureau of the authoritative astatine the ICC declined to comment, citing confidentiality of the process.
Prosecutors tin taxable a confidential exertion to judges, who person to find determination are tenable grounds to reason a fishy has committed crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC successful bid to o.k. the application.
Mr. Smotrich said helium had been told that the tribunal "submitted a concealed petition for an planetary apprehension warrant against me."
The tribunal successful November 2024 had issued apprehension warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his erstwhile defence chief, Yoav Gallant, arsenic good arsenic a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged warfare crimes and crimes against humanity successful the Gaza conflict.
Mr. Smotrich called the apprehension warrants against Israeli officials "a declaration of war" by the Palestinian Authority, seemingly reflecting Israeli authorities choler astatine what it sees arsenic Palestinian backing for planetary ineligible enactment implicit the Gaza war.
Britain and 4 other nations past twelvemonth imposed sanctions connected Mr. Smotrich and different far-right Israeli Cabinet Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, accusing them of repeatedly inciting unit against Palestinians successful the West Bank.
Mr. Smotrich has called for the imperishable conquest of Gaza and re-establishment of Jewish settlements determination that Israel abandoned successful 2005, notions that Mr. Netanyahu has rejected.
