Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the International Criminal Court of anti-Semitism Thursday after it issued arrest warrants against him and his former defence minister.
"The anti-Semitic decision of the International Criminal Court is comparable to a modern-day Dreyfus trial -- and it will end in the same way," Netanyahu said in a statement, referring to an infamous 19th century case in which French Jewish army captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongly convicted of treason.
Netanyahu said Israel's current war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, was "just" and that Israel "rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions and accusations made against it".
He went on to accuse ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan of being corrupt and alleged that the warrants were an attempt "to save himself from serious accusations of sexual harassment". Khan has denied the allegations.
Netanyahu said the judges were "driven by anti-Semitic hatred of Israel" and vowed that the arrest warrants would "not prevent the State of Israel from defending its citizens".
Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the court's move as a "dark day for justice".
"It ignores the basic fact that Israel was barbarically attacked and has the duty and right to defend its people," Herzog said on X.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said ICC had "lost all legitimacy" with its "attack on Israel's right to defend itself".
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged the government to respond by annexing the whole of the occupied West Bank, which the Palestinians claim as part of their future state.
Israel's centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid too criticised the court's decision.
"Israel is defending its citizens' lives against terrorist organisations that attacked, murdered and raped our people. These arrest warrants are a reward for terrorism," Lapid said in a statement.