ICC Prosecutor Kareem Khan during an interview in The Hague earlier this year. Photo: Piroschka van de WouwI/Reuters
The UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has accused the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its chief prosecutor, Kareem Khan, of deception, saying that its actions are based on false information. This is stated in a Saturday post by UKLFI on the X/Twitter platform.
Cancellation of meetings between Israeli and international representatives
The Association claims that Kareem Khan cancelled a planned trip to Israel in May without warning, despite previously voiced promises to cooperate with national authorities in accordance with the principles of the Rome Statute.
Of particular outrage was the fact that Khan’s announcement of international arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Galant coincided with the day when meetings between representatives of the ICC and Israel were scheduled to take place in Jerusalem. As a result, the talks were cancelled and the interaction disrupted.
Arrest warrants and war crimes charges
In May, Khan requested arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders, as well as Netanyahu and Galant. He accused the Israeli politicians of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
UKLFI says the allegations are based on false reports. In an August letter to Khan, the organisation provided evidence that it said refuted all the allegations.
Allegations of professional misconduct
The association said it was ready to initiate charges of professional misconduct against Karim Khan.
“We are extremely concerned that you refuse to reconsider your position despite the evidence we have provided. This raises serious doubts about your integrity. We urge you to act in accordance with your professional responsibilities,” the UKLFI letter reads.
This incident highlights the tensions between Israel and the ICC, as well as the complexity of international legal processes in the context of military conflicts.
