Key facts
- US Senator Lindsey Graham and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly conspired to use sexual misconduct allegations against ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan.
- The alleged conspiracy aimed to delay the issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.
- Recordings suggest Graham secured support from Democrat senators for a letter to the ICC.
- Karim Khan was recently removed from his post as ICC chief prosecutor by a vote of member states.
- A prior ICC judicial panel had cleared Khan of misconduct allegations.
- Netanyahu welcomed Khan's removal and stated the US would act forcefully against the ICC.
US Senator Lindsey Graham and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly conspired to use sexual misconduct allegations against International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan in an effort to delay arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. Recordings obtained by filmmaker Alex Holder suggest the two discussed the allegations on October 29, 2024, weeks before ICC judges announced arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Netanyahu reportedly told Graham that the allegations against Khan could help delay the warrants, suggesting a review process. Graham indicated he would secure support from Democrat senators, and a letter signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Ben Cardin was sent to the court on November 1, 2024. However, this did not prevent the ICC from issuing warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Hamas officials on November 21, 2024.
Karim Khan was recently removed from his post as ICC chief prosecutor in a vote by 82 of the court's 125 member states, citing sexual misconduct claims. This decision followed an 18-month disciplinary process that critics have described as politicised. A panel of judges appointed by the ICC's governing body had previously cleared Khan of wrongdoing in March, concluding that UN investigators' findings did not establish misconduct. However, a group of member states disregarded this conclusion, relying on a UN report that found Khan engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship.
Khan has denied any sexual relationship, and the complainant's account focused on allegations of non-consensual conduct. Middle East Eye previously reported that Graham had pressured Khan over his Israel investigation, warning of sanctions if warrants were pursued. Netanyahu welcomed Khan's removal, stating he had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about taking forceful action against the ICC.