Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan of issuing arrest warrants against him and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to divert attention from sexual assault allegations against the prosecutor.
Netanyahu said Khan had planned to visit Israel last year to examine claims of war crimes, but canceled at the last minute. “Before he arrived, he praised Israel’s independent judicial system, which investigates allegations of war crimes on its own,” Netanyahu said.
“On the very day he was scheduled to arrive in Israel, Khan suddenly canceled his visit. That same day, he issued a shocking request for illegitimate arrest warrants, accusing me and Defense Minister Gallant of being war criminals,” Netanyahu continued. “This opened the door to false accusations against Israel’s soldiers, as well as against the US and other democracies fighting terrorists who want to destroy Western civilization.”
Netanyahu alleged that Khan canceled his trip because of misconduct allegations. “A few days before his planned visit, a member of his staff accused him of rape and sexual assault,” Netanyahu said. “Khan feared that his career would collapse in disgrace. After all, his younger brother, a former British MP, was sent to prison in the UK for sexual assault. Khan thought quickly and came up with a plan: divert attention by hurling false accusations at Israel and me.”
He added that a second woman had since made similar allegations. “Today, Khan is suspended from his position, but his outrageous arrest warrants and false accusations against Israel have not been removed. They must be rescinded immediately, so that justice and truth will prevail,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister also pointed to Israeli efforts to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza. “Israel has brought more than two million tons of aid into Gaza, one ton of aid for every person. Hamas stole much of it,” he said. “Israel also sent millions of text messages and phone calls to Palestinian civilians, urging them to leave dangerous areas. Hamas shoots at those civilians when they try to leave, using them as human shields. That is a war crime.”
Netanyahu concluded by thanking the US for its backing. “These arrest warrants and false accusations are a travesty of justice,” he said. “That is why President Trump and Secretary Rubio imposed sanctions on Khan and other corrupt ICC officials. Thank you, America, for holding the court in The Hague accountable, because if Israel is prevented from fighting terror, no democracy is safe.”
Throughout the video, Netanyahu shared screengrabs of reports by international media outlets that highlighted the accusations against Khan. The video ended with a photo which read: "When accused, blamed the Jews."
Allegations against ICC prosecutor Karim Khan timeline
In April 2025, Karim Khan was being investigated by a United Nations watchdog after a female staff member accused him of rape and sexual assault. According to the paper, Khan was also alleged to have retaliated against employees who raised concerns, adding to the seriousness of the claims.
By mid-May 2025, The Jerusalem Post noted that Khan had taken an indefinite leave of absence from his role as ICC chief prosecutor. The Assembly of States Parties confirmed that his deputies were temporarily managing the office. Around the same time, the paper highlighted that Khan’s controversial request for arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant came only days after he had been confronted internally about the misconduct allegations, raising questions about the timing.
Later that month, The Jerusalem Post published an exclusive revealing that Khan deliberately fast-tracked the filing of the arrest warrants in order to influence Western public opinion. Sources cited in the report said the move was aimed at rallying support among audiences hostile to Israel.
The controversy escalated further in August 2025, when second woman, a former ICC intern, accused Khan of repeated unwanted advances dating back to 2009. The revelation deepened scrutiny of his conduct and added momentum to calls within the ICC for him to resign.