Overview
- Bezalel Smotrich, speaking Tuesday in Jerusalem, said he was told the International Criminal Court prosecutor requested a sealed arrest warrant for him and he called it a “declaration of war.”
- He signed a directive to evict the Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank, though Israeli media and activists say the order may still need security cabinet approval and could face legal challenges.
- An ICC spokesperson said no new warrants have been issued in the Palestine situation, and the court declined further comment because any applications stay confidential until judges decide.
- Multiple outlets reported new steps by prosecutors, with Haaretz citing sealed requests for several senior Israelis and Middle East Eye reporting an April 2 filing for Smotrich and a recent evidence review concerning Itamar Ben-Gvir.
- If judges approve a warrant, Smotrich could face arrest in ICC member states, adding to the court’s November 2024 warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant and intensifying political fallout inside Israel.