Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the International Criminal Court (ICC) ruling that called for his arrest in an official address to the public on Thursday evening.
Netanyahu sharply condemned the decision that ruled for his arrest. The decision also ruled for the arrest warrant of former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
Netanyahu began by calling on the citizens of Israel, telling them that “today is a black day” and that the ICC made a biased decision, becoming the “enemy of humanity.”
“This is a moral bankruptcy that undermines the natural right of democracies to defend themselves against murderous terrorism,” he said.
He continued to explain the events that occurred during the October 7 massacre, which resulted in the raping, killing, and kidnapping of Israeli citizens.
“What does the court in the Hague do in response to these atrocities? Nothing,” Netanyahu stated.
Slamming the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Netanyahu continued that it does nothing in the face of “real crimes of humanity being committed around the world.”
“Millions of innocent civilians have been murdered or displaced from their homes in Iran, Syria, Yemen, and other places. Instead of acting against these dark regimes, the court chose to level false accusations against the State of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East,” he continued.
Netanyahu then called the ruling an “antisemetic step with one goal—to deter me, to deter us—from exercising our right to defend ourselves.”
“Citizens of Israel, no outrageous anti-Israel decision will prevent us—and will not prevent me—from continuing to defend our country in every way,” he emphasized.
Gallant’s reaction to arrest warrant
Gallant posted on X/Twitter earlier in the day about the ICC court ruling for his arrest, calling it an “outrageous” decision and claiming that it “will live in infamy.”
Gallant also addressed his former role as defense minister, writing that he was” proud of the extraordinary privilege [he] had in leading Israel’s defense establishment during our hardest hour – fighting a war on seven fronts.”
Israeli officials respond
Various additional Israeli officials also responded to the ICC ruling.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog described the ICC’s decision as “a dark day for justice” and slammed the decision in a condemnation post on X.
“Taken in bad faith, the outrageous decision at the ICC has turned universal justice into a universal laughing stock. It makes a mockery of the sacrifice of all those who fight for justice – from the Allied victory over the Nazis till today,” he wrote.
Herzog also added that the decision “ignores the plight” of the hostages held in Hamas captivity and ignores “the fact that Israel was barbarically attacked and had the duty and right to defend its people.”
He noted that the decision reflects the choice to side with “terror and evil over democracy and freedom” and that it turned the justice system into a human shield for Hamas’s crimes against humanity.
Former Prime Minister MK Naftali Bennett also strongly condemned the ICC’s decision in a post on X, calling it a “mark of shame” on the ICC itself, along with its members.
“On October 7, Hamas brutally attacked Israel, murdering, burning alive, and raping over 1,200 Israelis. Israel is fighting back the most just of wars against pure evil. All Israelis, left and right, stand behind the war. With the goals of releasing the kidnapped Israelis, demolishing Hamas, and restoring security to Israel. Shame on ICC,” he wrote.
Benny Gantz wrote on X, “The ICC’s decision – moral blindness and shameful stain of historic proportion that will never be forgotten.”
In a lengthier social media post, Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that the issuance of arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant was driven by antisemitism and accused the international judiciary of hitting an “unprecedented low.”
“This shameful decision serves Iran, the head of the snake, and its proxies. The ICC has chosen to lend support to a biased and corrupt prosecutor rather than confront those who openly seek the destruction of the State of Israel. We will not allow a hostile, hypocritical, and illegitimate body to harm our leaders or our soldiers. We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel with determination and pride, standing firm against anyone who attempts to undermine our right to self-defense.”
Katz added that the international community may see these actions as a way to deter Israeli action. “Anyone who thinks they can deter us from achieving all our war objectives through absurd decisions that serve Iran and its proxies will face a strong and resolute state, acting with power in every arena—military, political, and legal—to counter every threat. I stand firmly with Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant,” Katz said.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid wrote on X that he “condemns the decision of the court in The Hague. Israel defends its life against terrorist organizations that attacked, murdered, and raped our citizens; these arrest warrants are a reward for terrorism.”
Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara said in a statement that “the International Criminal Court, which was meant to deal with the most severe atrocities, has today failed in its historic role.”
“The International Criminal Court’s decision is baseless, regrettable, and fundamentally legally flawed. On this day, it must be stated clearly – the International Criminal Court lacks any jurisdiction in this matter,” she added.
“Israel is considering its next legal steps.”
A decision that ‘reflects antisemitism’
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote on X that the decision was “a distorted and disconnected step away from reality, reflecting antisemitism and hatred of Israel.”
“Israel must sever contact with the tribunal and take decisive measures against the factors that led to the opening of the procedure, led by the Palestinian Authority,” Smotich added.
Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also described the decision as antisemitic and wrote on X that the warrants were an unprecedented disgrace, but not at all surprising.”
Transportation Minister Miri Regev wrote on X that the decision was “modern antisemitism in the guise of justice.”
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