International Criminal Court Removes Prosecutor Karim Khan

Member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have removed Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from his position by a majority of 82 votes. The decision follows allegations that he sexually harassed a jurist who worked in his office.

A senior Israeli official confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducted an intensive diplomatic campaign to mobilize support for Khan's removal. The vote took place during the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) meeting at the UN headquarters in New York. Out of 125 member states, 82 voted in favor, 13 opposed, and 15 abstained. A minimum of 63 votes was required for the removal. France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands—the host country of the court—had announced their support for the move prior to the vote.

Karim Khan has denied all allegations against him. The investigation into the matter has been ongoing for nearly two years; while one panel of judges recommended his reinstatement, two other reviews concluded that inappropriate sexual conduct had indeed occurred.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, welcomed the decision:

"Karim Khan thought that if he launched a political witch hunt against Israel and issued arrest warrants, the world would ignore the serious allegations of sexual offenses attributed to him. He was wrong. Whoever uses the persecution of Israel to save himself will not only fail to escape responsibility but will also lose the world's trust."

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated that the removal exposes the "moral bankruptcy" of a corrupt prosecutor who rushed to file "scandalous" arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in an attempt to divert attention from his own misconduct. Sa'ar reiterated his call for the immediate cancellation of the warrants, describing them as politically motivated and outrageous.

It is important to note that Khan's removal does not, at this stage, cancel the arrest warrants, which have already been approved and signed by the court's judges. Israel believes that Khan's departure could open the door for new legal challenges, as the state intends to argue that the warrants were issued based on extraneous considerations. However, officials in Jerusalem acknowledge that the path to cancelling the warrants is likely to be long. At this stage, it remains unclear who will replace Khan, and the process of selecting a new Chief Prosecutor could take approximately one year.