ICC Prosecutor Seeks Sealed Arrest Warrants for Smotrich, Ben-Gvir, Minister Strock, and Two IDF Officials

The International Criminal Court's top prosecutor applied on May 17, 2026 for sealed arrest warrants for Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, according to a diplomatic source reported by Haaretz. The same application reportedly also sought warrants for Minister Orit Strock (Settlements and National Missions) and two senior IDF officials. The request expands the existing ICC warrants — issued in November 2024 — for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (for war crimes including starvation as a method of warfare and targeting of civilians). Smotrich and Ben-Gvir are among the most extreme members of Israel's coalition government: Smotrich stated in May 2026 he aims to 'destroy the idea of a Palestinian state' and Ben-Gvir has made multiple provocative incursions onto the Temple Mount. This follows the May 13 ruling in which the ICC Appeals Chamber rejected Israel's jurisdictional challenge 3–2. The new warrant applications, if approved by Pre-Trial Chamber I, would dramatically escalate legal pressure on Israel's political leadership. Israel has abandoned its formal defense in the ICC case. The US previously sanctioned ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan (on administrative leave) and nine judges over the Netanyahu/Gallant warrants; the new applications are expected to draw similar US opposition.