Ruptly
"Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he was informed on Monday night that the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed a 'comprehensive' international arrest warrant against him. Speaking during a press conference, he said: "Issuing arrest warrants against the prime minister [...], the defence minister, and the finance minister is a declaration of war." “And in the face of a declaration of war, we will respond with a fierce war,” he added. Arrest warrants are usually classified as ‘secret’ to protect witnesses and safeguard the conduct of investigations. "The Palestinian Authority has launched a war, and it will receive a war. From today, every target, economic or otherwise, that I can strike [...] will be attacked," he threatened. "This is just the beginning.” He announced that he would immediately sign the evacuation order for the Khan al-Ahmar village, a Palestinian Bedouin village located in Area C of the West Bank. In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant "for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023." Smotrich is currently under formal sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, imposed by the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway over his repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian communities. The Netherlands and Slovenia have also banned him from their territories."
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