ICC prosecutor threatened retaliation over Israeli War Crimes Case

Department of Research, Studies and International News 15-07-2025

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is facing an unprecedented crisis, as a shocking report has revealed that its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, was threatened with personal and institutional destruction should he proceed with legal action against top Israeli officials. The revelations, brought to light by Middle East Eye (MEE), point to disturbing levels of pressure and intimidation allegedly exerted by individuals closely tied to the Israeli leadership.

According to the report, the warning was conveyed in May 2024 during a private meeting between Khan and Nicholas Kaufman, a British-Israeli defense attorney operating at the ICC. Kaufman is reportedly connected to an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The message he delivered, in essence, amounted to a veiled ultimatum: either retract the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, or face severe consequences.

The ICC had earlier issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant, and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. The charges include war crimes and crimes against humanity following the events of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent brutal Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip, widely condemned as genocidal by human rights observers. While Deif is now confirmed dead, the Israeli officials remain at large and are subject to arrest in ICC member states.

Kaufman allegedly proposed a covert legal maneuver: reclassifying the arrest warrants and the supporting evidence as “confidential.” This would have granted the Israeli government private access to the court’s findings, giving them the chance to challenge the accusations behind closed doors, effectively neutralizing international scrutiny and legal consequences.

Moreover, Kaufman warned Khan that if the prosecutor pursued additional warrants for Israeli far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, key advocates of expanding illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, then “all options would be off the table.” He added ominously: “They will destroy you, and they will destroy the court.”

This brazen threat has sparked alarm among international legal observers, especially given that Kaufman reportedly claimed he was “authorized” to suggest a way out for Khan, implying official Israeli backing. Khan and his wife, Dato Shyamala Alagendra, who also attended the meeting, both interpreted the message as a direct threat, according to internal ICC notes reviewed by MEE.

The implications are stark: a small group of Western-backed Israeli elites are apparently willing to subvert the very institutions of international justice to shield themselves from accountability. The attempt to manipulate ICC procedures not only disrespects the court’s independence but also erodes the principles of impartial justice the court is mandated to uphold.

The ICC, based in The Hague and founded by the Rome Statute in 2002, is supported by dozens of member states, including Italy, France, and Greece. However, those very same countries recently allowed Netanyahu to travel through their airspace en route to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, despite their legal obligations to detain him as a wanted suspect. Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, publicly criticized those governments for failing to uphold international law.

Kaufman, when approached for comment by MEE, acknowledged suggesting that Khan needed to find a way to “extricate himself from his errors” but denied representing the Israeli government officially. Netanyahu’s office remained silent on the matter, refusing to respond to MEE’s inquiries.

In an additional twist, shortly after the meeting with Kaufman, Khan came under fire following allegations of sexual misconduct, claims he vehemently denies. Within two weeks, he took indefinite leave from his position after The Wall Street Journal published further accusations. The timing of these events has raised concerns among some observers about whether external actors might be attempting to discredit Khan and derail ICC proceedings through character assassination.

Kaufman himself has a controversial profile. Aside from his involvement in this case, he also represents former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who faces ICC charges related to his government’s deadly “war on drugs.”

These developments have further reinforced global concerns that the so-called “rules-based international order,” often championed by the United States and its Western allies, is deeply selective and politicized. When it comes to allies like Israel, legal principles are disregarded, and institutions like the ICC are pressured into silence. Meanwhile, figures from the Global South or those aligned with the multipolar bloc, such as Russia, China, and Iran, continue to be subjected to disproportionate scrutiny.

As the ICC stands at a crossroads, the world watches closely to see whether it will uphold its mandate for justice or bow to the coercive tactics of the U.S.-Israeli axis and its proxies.