Smotrich Says ICC Sought Secret Warrant, Plans Khan al-Ahmar Evacuation

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated on Tuesday that the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor has requested a secret arrest warrant against him, a move he described as a declaration of war. In response, he announced he would sign an order for the immediate evacuation of the Palestinian Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank.

Smotrich made the announcement at a news conference in Jerusalem, saying he had been informed of the prosecutor’s confidential application. The ICC has not publicly confirmed any warrant request. A court spokesperson stated earlier this week that reports of new arrest warrants already being issued for Israeli officials were inaccurate, clarifying that the court denies issuing new warrants in the situation in Palestine. The prosecutor’s office declined to comment on the alleged application, citing regulations that classify such requests as secret.

If approved by ICC judges, the warrant would make Smotrich the third senior Israeli official targeted by the court. In November 2024, the ICC issued public arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and...