Desk Report,
ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan received ‘threats’ to close Netanyahu investigation
Alliance is breaking up due to disagreements, Netanyahu government under pressure
ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan received ‘threats’ to close Netanyahu investigation
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, was threatened last May. He was told that if the arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were not withdrawn, he (Karim Khan) and the International Criminal Court would be “destroyed”.
The threat was made by the ICC’s defense lawyer and British citizen of Israeli origin, Nicholas Kaufman. Middle East Eye has learned this information from notes recorded in the court.
During the meeting, Kaufman made a proposal to Karim Khan. The proposal was that Karim Khan should apply to the court to classify the arrest warrants and related information as “confidential”. This would give Israel the opportunity to learn the details of the charges and challenge them in secret. The result would not be made public.
Kaufman said at the time that he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s legal counsel and had obtained his approval for the proposal.
Kaufman also issued a warning. He said that if further warrants were requested against Ben Gavir and Smotrich for campaigning for illegal settlements in the West Bank, there would be no room for negotiations.
Kaufman warned Karim Khan, “They will finish you off and destroy the court.”
Karif Khan and his wife were both present at the meeting. They both took the words as a threat.
Kaufman told Middle East Eye, “I will not deny that I have asked Karim Khan to find a way out of his mistake. However, I am not authorized to make any proposals on behalf of the Israeli government, and I have not made any such proposals.”
Alliance is breaking up due to disagreements, Netanyahu government under pressure
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, was threatened last May. He was told that if the arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were not withdrawn, he (Karim Khan) and the International Criminal Court would be “destroyed”.
The threat was made by the ICC’s defense lawyer and British citizen of Israeli origin, Nicholas Kaufman. Middle East Eye has learned this information from notes recorded in the court.
During the meeting, Kaufman made a proposal to Karim Khan. The proposal was that Karim Khan should apply to the court to classify the arrest warrants and related information as “confidential”. This would give Israel the opportunity to learn the details of the charges and challenge them in secret. The result would not be made public.
Kaufman said at the time that he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s legal counsel and had obtained his approval for the proposal.
Kaufman also issued a warning. He said that if further warrants were requested against Ben Gavir and Smotrich for campaigning for illegal settlements in the West Bank, there would be no room for negotiations.
Kaufman warned Karim Khan, “They will finish you off and destroy the court.”
Karif Khan and his wife were both present at the meeting. They both took the words as a threat.
Kaufman told Middle East Eye, “I will not deny that I have asked Karim Khan to find a way out of his mistake. However, I am not authorized to make any proposals on behalf of the Israeli government, and I have not made any such proposals.”
