The Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has submitted a request to the judges for an international arrest warrant against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, according to a report by the website Middle East Eye (MME).
The request was submitted on allegations of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of apartheid.
Alongside the request against the finance minister, an investigation is also being conducted regarding National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and another Israeli individual. Last Wednesday, a meeting was held at the prosecutor’s office to discuss evidence concerning Ben Gvir, but no decision has yet been made and no warrant request has been submitted so far.
If the judges approve the request, Smotrich would become the third Israeli against whom the court has issued a warrant, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The ICC has denied recent reports that it pursued secret warrants against Israeli officials.
Allegations have been published against ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan accusing him of sexually harassing an employee in his office over an extended period. Khan denied the allegations and claimed they were part of a “smear campaign." After disturbing testimony regarding his alleged actions emerged, Khan took what was described as a “leave of absence" from his role as prosecutor.