Member states of the International Criminal Court in The Hague voted Friday evening to remove Karim Khan, the court’s chief prosecutor, who issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and has been accused of sexual misconduct.
Eighty-two countries voted in favor of Khan’s removal in a vote held at U.N. headquarters, 13 voted against and 15 abstained. A majority of 63 countries was required to approve the move. The removal does not cancel the arrest warrants against the prime minister and former defense minister, which remain in effect.
Member states of the International Criminal Court in The Hague voted Friday evening to remove Karim Khan
(Photo: Piroschka Van De Wouw, Reuters)
Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said after the vote that “Khan thought his political witch hunt against Israel and outrageous arrest warrants would distract from serious sexual misconduct allegations. He was wrong.”
“Zohran Mamdani, take note: using Israel as a political weapon will not shield you from accountability,” he added.
Khan’s removal marks the first time that a chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has been removed from office. The vote was held in secret and followed a recommendation by the court’s presidency to dismiss him after findings from an internal investigation concluded that he engaged in “serious misconduct.”
Khan, 56, denies all allegations against him. His lawyers have argued that no improper sexual contact took place and that the proceedings against him are riddled with legal flaws.
The leading candidate to replace Khan is his deputy, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, who was appointed to the position due to her ties with his wife. Nazhat Shameem strongly opposes canceling the arrest warrants against Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant, meaning Khan’s removal is not expected to affect the Israeli case. She is currently serving as acting chief prosecutor and, according to reports, is advancing efforts to issue additional arrest warrants against Israeli officials.
The internal crisis at the court comes at an especially sensitive time, as the Trump administration has intensified its campaign against the ICC. Last week, Washington announced a renewed diplomatic campaign aimed at limiting the court’s power, arguing that it undermines U.S. sovereignty. American officials have also made clear that “all diplomatic options are on the table” after sanctions were already imposed on 11 senior court officials.
Legal experts warn that the affair is severely damaging the court’s credibility at a time when it is facing unprecedented pressure.
“The court is already in a precarious state,” Mark Ellis, the executive director of the International Bar Association and a longtime ICC observer, told Reuters. “The Khan situation is a separate but very significant part of the overall perception of the court’s credibility.”