In a startling new development surrounding the International Criminal Court (ICC), a witness statement claims that the Qatari government promised to “look after” prosecutor Karim Khan if he moved forward with arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The accusation, which is supported by audio recordings reviewed by investigators, suggests a potential quid pro quo agreement between the Gulf state and the ICC’s top prosecutor. According to the witness statement submitted to the FBI, the promise of state protection was made while Khan was reportedly hesitant to issue the warrants.
“I want to issue the warrant, but I’m terrified to do it,” Khan told intermediaries, according to a recorded conversation cited in the report.
“If you do it, then we’ll look after you,” a voice described as linked to the Qatari state responded, according to the recording.
These revelations add to a layer of geopolitical intrigue to the scandal already engulfing Khan, who took a leave of absence in May 2025 following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate. Khan has denied the accusations and described them as part of an “orchestrated campaign” to discredit him.
Investigators are also examining whether a Qatar-linked intelligence effort sought to discredit Khan’s accuser, according to the report. The operation, involving London-based firms Highgate and Elicius Intelligence, allegedly sought to find “links” between the female accuser and Israeli intelligence.
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Today 07:37 AM
3 hours ago
I guess the ICC tries to explain its once-accompanying but now apparently faded interest in "arrests for Hamas leaders" via the "they're all dead" route: "The prosecutor stated that he was trying to confirm the alleged killing of Deif on 13 July 2024, in which case the warrant request would be withdrawn. The warrant for Deif was cancelled in February 2025, a few weeks after Hamas confirmed his death."
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Arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders: During the Gaza war, Business Insider reported that a statement by Khan "appeared to suggest" that both Israel and Hamas could be prosecuted by the ICC. According to Khan, the bar for evidence that a hospital, school, or place of worship is being used for military purposes is very high. On 17 November 2023, Khan stated the ICC had received a joint request by South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, and Djibouti to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes. South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor asked Khan why he was able to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Putin, but not for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli government called emergency meetings over concerns the ICC could be preparing arrest warrants against Netanyahu, other senior officials, or officers of the Israeli Defense Forces. It decided it would reach out to the court and 'diplomatic figures with influence' with the aim of blocking the issuing of arrest warrants. Netanyahu raised the matter in his meetings with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and sought their help.
On 24 April 2024, Khan was sent a letter signed by 12 Republican U.S. senators threatening him and other UN jurists and their families with personal consequences if the ICC were to seek an international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu or other members of the Israeli government. The letter cited the American Service-Members' Protection Act – known informally as "The Hague Invasion Act" – which specifically includes "all means". The signatories said they would view any arrest warrant as "a threat not only to Israel's sovereignty, but also to the sovereignty of the United States". They threatened: "Target Israel and we will target you", and that any further action would "end all American support for the ICC" and "exclude [Khan and his associates and employees] and their families from the United States". The letter ended: "You have been warned." UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Khan that the UK would defund and withdraw from the ICC if the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were issued.
On 20 May 2024, on the advice of a panel of legal experts, Khan applied for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' political wing chairman, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas member Mohammed al-Masri, and the Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant. The move came two and a half weeks after Khan learned of accusations of sexual assault made against him. Khan said that the warrants were not issued in an attempt to protect himself from the accusations. The Guardian said a "well-placed source" had told it that the decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli and Hamas figures had already been made when Khan was told of the accusations and warrants were already being drafted.
President of the United States Joe Biden called the application for arrest warrants "outrageous", while Netanyahu called Khan one of the "great antisemites in modern times" after the announcement. Biden and Netanyahu's responses were rebuffed by US attorney Kenneth Roth, who led Human Rights Watch for 29 years.
Statements of support for Khan and the ICC were made in the US and elsewhere. US member of Congress Ilhan Omar said that the ICC "must be allowed to conduct its work independently and without interference." Government representatives of Australia, France, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Denmark, Norway, Chile, Canada, South Africa, Maldives, Oman and Jordan expressed support for the ICC independence. According to Roth, "These charges are not about Israel's right to defend itself, which no one questions. They're about how Israel has chosen to defend itself, and no cause, no matter how just, can be used as an excuse to commit war crimes." The Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem said: "The era of impunity for Israeli decision-makers is over." In June 2024, 93 nations including the aforementioned reiterated their support for the ICC's independence.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders: During the Gaza war, Business Insider reported that a statement by Khan "appeared to suggest" that both Israel and Hamas could be prosecuted by the ICC. According to Khan, the bar for evidence that a hospital, school, or place of worship is being used for military purposes is very high. On 17 November 2023, Khan stated the ICC had received a joint request by South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, and Djibouti to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes. South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor asked Khan why he was able to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Putin, but not for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli government called emergency meetings over concerns the ICC could be preparing arrest warrants against Netanyahu, other senior officials, or officers of the Israeli Defense Forces. It decided it would reach out to the court and 'diplomatic figures with influence' with the aim of blocking the issuing of arrest warrants. Netanyahu raised the matter in his meetings with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and sought their help.
On 24 April 2024, Khan was sent a letter signed by 12 Republican U.S. senators threatening him and other UN jurists and their families with personal consequences if the ICC were to seek an international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu or other members of the Israeli government. The letter cited the American Service-Members' Protection Act – known informally as "The Hague Invasion Act" – which specifically includes "all means". The signatories said they would view any arrest warrant as "a threat not only to Israel's sovereignty, but also to the sovereignty of the United States". They threatened: "Target Israel and we will target you", and that any further action would "end all American support for the ICC" and "exclude [Khan and his associates and employees] and their families from the United States". The letter ended: "You have been warned." UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Khan that the UK would defund and withdraw from the ICC if the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were issued.
On 20 May 2024, on the advice of a panel of legal experts, Khan applied for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' political wing chairman, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas member Mohammed al-Masri, and the Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant. The move came two and a half weeks after Khan learned of accusations of sexual assault made against him. Khan said that the warrants were not issued in an attempt to protect himself from the accusations. The Guardian said a "well-placed source" had told it that the decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli and Hamas figures had already been made when Khan was told of the accusations and warrants were already being drafted.
President of the United States Joe Biden called the application for arrest warrants "outrageous", while Netanyahu called Khan one of the "great antisemites in modern times" after the announcement. Biden and Netanyahu's responses were rebuffed by US attorney Kenneth Roth, who led Human Rights Watch for 29 years.
Statements of support for Khan and the ICC were made in the US and elsewhere. US member of Congress Ilhan Omar said that the ICC "must be allowed to conduct its work independently and without interference." Government representatives of Australia, France, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Denmark, Norway, Chile, Canada, South Africa, Maldives, Oman and Jordan expressed support for the ICC independence. According to Roth, "These charges are not about Israel's right to defend itself, which no one questions. They're about how Israel has chosen to defend itself, and no cause, no matter how just, can be used as an excuse to commit war crimes." The Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem said: "The era of impunity for Israeli decision-makers is over." In June 2024, 93 nations including the aforementioned reiterated their support for the ICC's independence.