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In a forceful response to the International Criminal Court’s unprecedented arrest warrants, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the ICC judges, claiming their decision stemmed from antisemitic prejudice against Israel.

During a Wednesday address, Netanyahu specifically targeted ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan, characterizing him as “corrupt” and suggesting the decision was influenced by Khan’s attempt to deflect from personal allegations of sexual misconduct.

“The decision was made by a corrupt chief prosecutor attempting to save himself from serious allegations of sexual harassment, and by biased judges driven by antisemitic hatred toward Israel,” Netanyahu stated, as reported by The Telegraph.

This development marks a significant milestone, as Netanyahu becomes the first leader of a modern Western democracy to face an ICC arrest warrant. The court also extended warrants to former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The White House quickly voiced opposition to the ICC’s action. “The United States fundamentally rejects the Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials. We remain deeply concerned by the Prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision,” declared a White House National Security Council spokesperson.

Neither Israel nor the United States recognizes ICC jurisdiction, as neither country holds membership in the court. The ICC has never executed arrests on American territory.

The warrants come at a particularly sensitive time as Israel faces expanding conflict, with hostilities now reaching into Lebanon. Notably, the ICC also issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, Hamas’s military wing commander, who masterminded the October 7 attack that claimed over 1,200 lives and initiated the current conflict.