(MENAFN) International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan moved to seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant just weeks after he was informed of sexual misconduct allegations against him, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing findings from a UN investigation.

Khan publicly announced his intent to pursue the warrants on May 20 of last year—only two and a half weeks after learning of the accusations. The WSJ noted that the timing has raised suspicions that Khan may have been trying to deflect attention from the unfolding scandal.

According to documents reviewed by the newspaper, the allegations date back to late 2023, when Khan, reportedly under heavy criticism from pro-Palestinian activists who accused the ICC of inaction over Gaza, allegedly began mistreating staff. The woman who came forward—described as a lawyer in her 30s from Malaysia who frequently accompanied Khan on official travel—claimed that he assaulted her during a meeting in his hotel suite near the UN. She stated that he forced her onto a bed and raped her, despite her repeated attempts to leave.

The accuser also described a pattern of non-consensual sexual encounters with Khan in various international locations including New York, Colombia, Congo, Chad, Paris, and even a residence in The Hague associated with Khan's wife.

Fearing retaliation and job loss, the woman remained silent for some time. When the allegations became more widely known within the ICC, she claimed Khan tried to pressure her into retracting the claims and warned that the scandal could undermine the ICC's Gaza investigation.

Khan has denied all accusations through his legal team, calling them “categorically untrue,” and pledged full cooperation with the external inquiry. He also denied engaging in any retaliatory actions.

In response to the ICC’s charges, Israel formally rejected the court’s jurisdiction and demanded the withdrawal of the arrest warrants in November 2024, calling for a halt to the ICC’s probe into alleged war crimes in Gaza.

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