Israeli PM under pressure over feared ICC arrest warrant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under grave pressure over possible arrest warrants for him and other senior Israeli officials by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over Israel's offensives in the Gaza war.

In a video statement on his X account late on April 30, Netanyahu called on "leaders of the free world" to stand against the possible arrest warrants, describing the expected decision by the Hague-based court as "a scandal on a historical scale."

Netanyahu insisted that "no decision, neither at The Hague nor anywhere else, will in any way harm our determination to achieve all the war goals."

"The purpose of this step, if it is carried out, is to threaten the leaders and soldiers of the State of Israel, essentially to paralyze the State of Israel's ability to defend itself," he said.

"Israel expects the leaders of the free world to come out firmly against this scandalous step."

In a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv, Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday urged allies to reject efforts to use the ICC against his country, warning of a threat to democracies everywhere.

Herzog stressed the strength of Israel's legal system and respect for the rule of law and decried an ICC investigation into Israel's conduct in the Palestinian territory.

"Trying to use the International Criminal Court against Israel, which is fighting terror, is a clear and present danger to democracies and to free peace-loving nations who pursue the norms of international law," he told journalists.

"I call upon all our allies and friends to object and reject any such efforts."

The United States earlier said it opposed the ICC's investigation.

"We've been really clear about the...