Israel Tells US It Will Target the Palestinian Authority If ICC Issues Warrants

Israel is threatening to take action that could lead to the PA's collapse

Israel has told the US that if the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, it would take strong action against the Palestinian Authority (PA) that could lead to its collapse, Axios reported on Wednesday.

Israel has claimed that it has information that suggests the PA is encouraging the ICC to issue the arrest warrants that are expected to target Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.

A senior Israeli official told Axios that if the warrants are issued, the Israeli cabinet would likely approve action that could collapse the PA. Israel could freeze the transfer of tax revenue that it collects for the PA, which would bankrupt the authority.

The US is opposing the ICC warrants and has said the court lacks jurisdiction. Russia has called out the US for hypocrisy over the issue since it backed the ICC’s warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Neither Israel nor Russia are parties to the ICC.

In 2021, the ICC began investigating the Israeli military and Palestinian militants over the 2014 Gaza War. The court extended the investigation into the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel and the genocidal Israeli campaign in Gaza that followed. It’s possible the court issues warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders.

Netanyahu has declared arrest warrants for Israeli officials over the slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza would be an “unprecedented antisemitic hate crime.” He called on the US and other countries to work against the court.

Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which handles disputes between states. The US has rejected the ICJ’s ruling that it’s “plausible” Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.