The ICC has requested an arrest warrant for Bezalel Smotrich - report
According to several media outlets, an investigation would also target Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir
The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has filed a request for an international arrest warrant against Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. This is according to information published by the media outlet Middle East Eye.
They say the request was submitted at the beginning of April for suspicions of "war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of apartheid," against Palestinians in the West Bank. If approved, this would be the first warrant ever issued by an international court for the crime of apartheid.
The accusations notably concern the forced transfers of Palestinians in the West Bank, and the transfer of Israeli populations to territories considered "occupied" under international law.
According to the report, the prosecutor's office now believes it has enough evidence to officially request this arrest warrant from the Court's judges.
According to reports an investigation is underway concerning Itamar Ben-Gvir as well as another Israeli official. A meeting dedicated to reviewing evidence against Ben-Gvir is said to have taken place last week, although no request for a warrant has been filed at this stage.
According to Middle East Eye, the Palestinian Authority exerted strong pressure on the Court to take action regarding the situation in the West Bank, considering that Israeli authorities are incapable or unwilling to pursue these cases.
The prosecutor's office reportedly also indicated that if a warrant were to be issued against Smotrich, it would remain secret in order to prevent the Israeli minister from being able to "evade justice."
If the judges were to approve this request, Smotrich would become the third Israeli official targeted by an ICC warrant, after Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.