Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned attempts to weaponize the International Criminal Court against Israel as the court considers issuing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders.
"As I have reiterated over the last months to leaders from around the world: Israel has the full right and duty to free our hostages and defend our citizens," Herzog wrote on X this afternoon (Tuesday).
He continued, "The state of Israel, our military, and security forces are working tirelessly to achieve these goals, operating totally in accordance with international law. I unequivocally object to any attempt to abuse international legal institutions - including the ICC - to deny the state of Israel its basic rights. We have an independent and robust judicial system that knows how to investigate as needed."
"Such actions will only serve to tie the hands of all free and democratic nations in the fight against terror, and must be strongly opposed," the President concluded.
The Israeli government is extremely concerned that the ICC will issue arrest warrants against Israeli officials, including the Prime Minister and Defense Minister, in the coming weeks.
On Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz instructed all Israeli missions around the world to prepare for a wave of antisemitic and anti-Israel attacks if the ICC decides to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials.
The US and other G7 countries have expressed concern that an ICC decision to issue arrest warrants against Israeli officials could harm attempts to reach a deal to secure the release of the 133 hostages held by the Hamas terrorist organization and to reach a ceasefire.
The ICC has stated that it is investigating both sides of the Israel-Hamas war.