Netanyahu and Late Senator Lindsey Graham Coordinated Secretly Against ICC Arrest Warrant

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the late American Senator Lindsey Graham secretly collaborated to oppose the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. According to a New York Times report based on recordings from filmmaker Alex Holder, the two coordinated a bipartisan strategy just days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, when the ICC was considering issuing an arrest warrant against Netanyahu.

In a recorded conversation from October 29, 2024, Netanyahu discussed the ICC proceedings and the imminent decision by a three-judge panel. He criticized ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, who was dismissed the previous weekend, describing him as a "big cloud" over the process that could delay the court's ruling. Netanyahu suggested requesting a review of the ICC's procedures before any arrest warrant was issued and urged Graham to rally congressional support, proposing a letter signed by multiple senators.

Graham joked about being compensated for his efforts and later informed Netanyahu that Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Ben Cardin had joined the initiative. He requested Netanyahu to personally thank them for their fairness and assistance with Saudi-Israel normalization efforts, which would encourage their continued support. The joint statement calling for a delay in ICC proceedings was published on November 1, 2024.

This revelation surfaced after Netanyahu attended Graham's funeral in Washington and met with former President Donald Trump to discuss the Iran conflict. Despite the ICC arrest warrant still standing against Netanyahu, Trump assured that Netanyahu would not be arrested on U.S. soil.