ICC prosecutor’s warrant requests for Israel and Hamas leaders ignite debate about court’s role

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Prosecutor Karim Khan has broken new ground with his stunning announcement that he had requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense minister and the leaders of Hamas on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He has also set off fierce debate about the court’s future as an independent arbiter. As a panel of three judges studies the evidence Khan filed to underpin his request, reactions pour in from Jerusalem to Gaza, to the United States and Europe. They range from outrage to outright support for the court, which is being asked to weigh in on one of the globe’s most intractable conflicts.