Mossad chief ‘threatened’ ICC prosecutor over war crimes case against Israel

The former chief of Israeli intelligence agency Mossad threatened the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) chief prosecutor to try to get a 2021 war crimes probe dropped. A report by the Guardian stated that Yossi Cohen threatened the ICC’s former prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in a series of secret meetings. It is pertinent to note that the report tallies with others suggesting Israel and its main Western allies have sought to pressure international justice bodies.

Last week, Bensouda’s successor and incumbent chief prosecutor at ICC Karim Khan, applied for an arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu based on that probe launched in 2021. Khan announced his office had “reasonable grounds” to believe that Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant bear “criminal responsibility” for “war crimes and crimes against humanity”.

Cohen used ‘despicable tactics’: Report

According to the report, Cohen employed “despicable tactics” against Bensouda in a failed attempt to intimidate and influence her. Accounts shared with ICC officials allege that he told her: “You should help us and let us take care of you. You don’t want to be getting into things that could compromise your security or that of your family.” It is noteworthy that Israel is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize its jurisdiction.