Despite the arrest warrant… Yoav Galant intends to travel to Washington to hold secret meetings with security officials
Dismissed Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant intends to travel to the US, to hold meetings with security officials, despite the fact that he is wanted for arrest under a warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court, in addition to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel’s Army Radio said on Sunday that Galant would travel to Washington to hold meetings with security officials (without specifying a date), despite the International Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant against him.
On November 21, the International Criminal Court issued two international arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant, on charges of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Under the court’s decision, which doesn’t have police officers to enforce it, its member states are legally obligated to arrest Netanyahu and Galant if they enter their territory, and hand them over to the International Criminal Court to take legal action against them.
However, the White House rejected the two arrest warrants, considering that the court doesn’t have the authority to prosecute Israel, according to a statement issued by a spokesman for the US National Security Council at the White House.
US President Joe Biden (whose country hasn’t signed the Rome Statute) also described the arrest warrant as “disgraceful”.
On May 20, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, requested the issuance of arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Galant for their responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli army in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
Khan also asked the court again last August to quickly issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant.
