Israel sent a request to the judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to withdraw the arrest warrants against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after examining the investigations and detailed testimony regarding allegations of rape against ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Khan issued the warrants to deflect attention from the allegations against him. Israeli officials believe that this information is “explosive material that can affect the case.” According to the report, Israel also asked the court to order the suspension of its investigations into alleged Israeli atrocities in Palestinian areas. The court is currently reviewing Israel’s challenges to its jurisdiction to try Israeli citizens after its Appeals Chamber unanimously ruled last month to reconsider an Israeli challenge against the court’s jurisdiction to try Israeli citizens for war crimes. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)