Netanyahu Celebrates ICC Prosecutor's Dismissal, Calls Him a 'Fraud'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed satisfaction over the dismissal of International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan, who faced accusations of sexual misconduct. Netanyahu, who is himself the subject of an ICC arrest warrant, labelled Khan a ‘fraud’.

In 2024, Khan successfully pushed for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials to be charged with alleged war crimes related to the Gaza war. The move, which angered Israel’s ally the United States, complicated Netanyahu’s travel to member states of the Hague-based ICC.

Speaking on Fox News’ ‘Sunday Morning Futures’, Netanyahu claimed that Khan filed the charges to divert attention from his own alleged crimes. ‘He thought if there were indictments, he would keep his job. It turned out there were indictments, and he lost his job,’ Netanyahu said, as reported by AFP on Monday. ‘He lost his job because he was removed by most of the countries that knew he was a fraud.’

Khan, 56, was suspended last month by the ICC’s main governing body and has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. In a vote held at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday, 82 of the 125 ICC members voted in secret to remove him for ‘serious misconduct and serious breach of duty.’ His lawyers said he plans to challenge the decision ‘through all available legal mechanisms.’

Netanyahu also addressed New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had previously expressed a desire to arrest the Israeli prime minister if he visited the city, but acknowledged this week that he lacked the authority. Netanyahu argued that Khan’s dismissal proved Mamdani’s demands were based on ‘false charges’ and accused the Muslim mayor of ‘inciting hatred’ against Jews. Netanyahu stated he intends to attend the UN General Assembly in New York this September. ‘I intend to come and speak frankly, to speak for Israel and for the Israel-American alliance from the UN podium,’ he said.