Proposed probe into Netanyahu, Gallant seeks to avoid war crime charges

In an unexpected attempt to avoid international prosecution, Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin, acting on orders from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asked Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to open a national criminal investigation against Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, according to a report on Thursday from Israeli Channel 12.

This unusual approach aimed to counter a pending arrest warrants against the two leaders at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The goal was to open and then quickly close the investigation, so that the ICC would withdraw after being notified that charges had been reviewed at the national level.

However, Baharav-Miara said she would have rejected this request, the report said, judging it as a blatant maneuvre that would not meet the ICC's requirements. According to her, only a State Commission of Inquiry - the highest level of investigation in Israel - on the events of October 7 and the war in Gaza that followed could satisfy the international court. Netanyahu has so far refused to engage in such an investigation, arguing that it should wait until the end of the conflict. Sources close to the case suggest that Netanyahu fears such a probe may be used to oust him from power.

This comes after the ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, urged the court to issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh. These requests, originally formulated in May, concern accusations of crimes against humanity and war crimes related to the atrocities of October 7 committed by Hamas and Israeli military policies in the subsequent war.