International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC), based in The Hague in The Netherlands is the world's sole permanent court with the power to prosecute individuals for international crimes. These crimes include genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.

Typically, cases will advance to the ICC once they have cycled through local and national courts with no prosecution of crimes.

As of September 2021, 123 countries are signed on the Rome Statute, the binding legal treaty that enacted the creation of the court and serves as its legal guide. Israel signed on to the Statute on December 31, 2000, but its signature was never approved or accepted.

The Judicial Division is the body of lawmakers that hears cases, headed by the president. Cases are brought to the Judicial Division by the Prosecutor.

On March 3, 2021, then-ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced the opening of a full war crimes probe against Israel and Hamas, focusing on the Gaza wars in 2014 and 2018, as well as the launching of rockets by Hamas against Israeli civilians and the settlement enterprise.

In Davos, Herzog calls for ICC measures against Netanyahu, Gallant to be lifted

Speaking Tuesday in Davos after arriving for the World Economic Forum, Herzog raised the issue in a meeting with United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock.

JANUARY 20, 2026|BySARAH BEN-NUN

President Isaac Herzog meets with President of the United Nations General Assembly Annalena Baerbock, ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2025

Wikipedia homepage on the computer screen under magnifying glass. Wikipedia is a free Internet encyclopedia.

Wikipedia's Israel page now unequivocally states Jewish state is 'committing genocide'

The edit was made on December 11 and has not been reversed since, despite extensive discussion between editors. The section appears at the end of the third paragraph in the top section of the page.

DECEMBER 21, 2025|ByMATHILDA HELLER

THE INTERNATIONAL Criminal Court building in The Hague: The ICC has no viable plan to bring to justice the Hamas leaders who conceived the mega-atrocity in Israel, or the terrorist organization’s supporters who slaughtered 1,200 civilians and seized 251 people as hostages on October 7, 2023

Israel lost another ICC war crimes battle, but not the war – what's next? - analysis

What battles did Israel lose, and what cards does it have left to play before a more permanent war crimes controversy disaster?

DECEMBER 17, 2025|ByYONAH JEREMY BOB

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a 40 signatures debate, at the plenum hall of the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on December 8, 2025

PMO slams ICC after court partially rejects Israeli appeal to overturn Netanyahu, Gallant arrest

In response, the Prime Minister's Office said that "the ICC Appeals Chamber has once again demonstrated that this process is political and not judicial."

DECEMBER 16, 2025|ByYONAH JEREMY BOB

How Jerusalem’s inaction fueled the ICC’s anti-Israel agenda – opinion

How Palestinian manipulation and ICC bias led to arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

DECEMBER 3, 2024ByMAURICE HIRSCH

RIYAD MANSOUR, permanent Palestinian observer to the UN, addresses the Security Council on the situation in Gaza last month. In 2012, when the Palestinians asked the UN to recognize the ‘State of Palestine,’ Israel should have declared that it was a breach of the Oslo Accords, the writer argues.

ICC president says war crimes tribunal is in jeopardy

Tomoko Akane did not name the US and Russia, but she heavily implied that the countries' actions against the ICC were affecting the court's impartiality.

DECEMBER 2, 2024ByREUTERS

Presiding judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua, Judge Tomoko Akane, and Judge Kimberly Prost prepare to deliver the verdict in the case of Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, June 26, 2024.

ICC arrest orders press IDF to publicize alleged war crimes probe decisions, sources say

There is finally more powerful counterpressure to get public decisions on the cases to show that the Israeli legal system takes its probes of its own soldiers seriously.

DECEMBER 1, 2024ByYONAH JEREMY BOB

IDF soldiers are seen working as part of the Israeli military's Gaza battlefield intelligence collection unit.

IDF soldiers targeted with lists to dox, charge in legal cases abroad

The Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation called for the arrest of three Nachal Brigade soldiers for alleged war crimes after they entered the Netherlands on Thursday.

DECEMBER 1, 2024ByMICHAEL STARR

DURING FIGHTING, a soldier communicates with other members of his unit.

'Based on false reports': UK Lawyers for Israel accuses ICC, Khan of deception

The post mentioned Khan's announcement that he was filing arrest warrants on the exact day that ICC and Israeli officials were supposed to meet, which canceled the meetings without prior notice.

DECEMBER 1, 2024ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

ICC PROSECUTOR Karim Khan speaks during an interview in The Hague, earlier this year.

Voices from the Arab press: Capturing Lebanon's essence through Fairuz at 90

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

NOVEMBER 30, 2024ByTHE MEDIA LINE

A demonstrator waves the Lebanese flag in front of riot police during a protest in Beirut, Lebanon, August 8, 2020

ICC arrest warrants may haunt Netanyahu, Gallant for life - expert

The Jerusalem Post Podcast with Tamar Uriel-Beeri and Zvika Klein.

NOVEMBER 29, 2024ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan speaks during an interview with Reuters in The Hague, Netherlands February 12, 2024.

Dutch see path forward for Netanyahu visit amid ICC hurdles

PM Dick Schoof on Friday said there were still scenarios within the Netherlands' duties towards the ICC in which Netanyahu would not be arrested, depending on the reason of his visit.

NOVEMBER 29, 2024ByREUTERS

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar at the former's residence in the Netherlands, November 10 2024

The ICC’s dangerous gamble - undermining democracies while aiding terrorists - opinion

The ICC’s actions risk emboldening terrorist organizations while undermining the Court’s own legitimacy.

NOVEMBER 28, 2024ByAMI H. ORKABY

Ami H. Orkaby.

FM Sa'ar says he believe US will punish ICC for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant

Saar said other countries were also dismayed by the decision, including the United States.

NOVEMBER 28, 2024ByREUTERS

MK Gideon Sa'ar attends a civil investigative committee hearing on the October 7 massacre, in Tel Aviv, August 18, 2024