Khamenei Calls for 'Death Sentence' for Netanyahu

Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, on Monday, December 5, during a speech to a group of Basij members, stated that in his view, the issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is 'not enough' and called for his 'execution.' Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the ICC, issued arrest warrants on Thursday, December 1, for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the former Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Israel, as well as Ibrahim al-Masri, known as Mohammed Deif, the commander of the extremist group Hamas who is believed to have been killed. Khamenei referred to the warrant against Netanyahu, saying, 'The arrest warrant has been issued; it is not enough; a death sentence must be issued for Netanyahu.' He then labeled Israeli leaders as 'criminals' and called for the issuance of death sentences for them. His request comes at a time when the legal and judicial bodies he refers to fundamentally oppose the issuance of any death sentences and have repeatedly criticized the Islamic Republic for its death penalty practices. The Supreme Leader cited the Israeli military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, which were in response to the bloody attack by the extremist group Hamas on October 7, as the reason for his request. The group Hamas, which is supported by the Islamic Republic, is listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States. While Khamenei has based his request for the execution of Israeli officials on Israel's military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, his regime has left many dead, wounded, and imprisoned in its bloody crackdown on protesters. Previously, organizations such as the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organization have stated that the killing of hundreds of Iranian protesters in recent government crackdowns has been systematic and constitutes a crime against humanity. Israel has dealt heavy blows to groups supported by the Islamic Republic in its recent military operations; however, Khamenei expressed hope on Monday that 'today the resistance front is expanding, and tomorrow this expansion will multiply.' Iranian officials refer to their armed groups in the region as the 'resistance front.' The extremist group Hamas killed about 1,200 civilians in its October 7 (15th of Mehr) attack on southern Israel and took nearly 250 hostages; 46 of the dead and 12 of the hostages were American citizens. Khamenei has always praised Hamas's actions. The ICC's arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and Deif relate to charges of 'war crimes' and 'crimes against humanity' in the Gaza war and Hamas's operations against Israeli citizens. U.S. President Joe Biden has strongly criticized the ICC's ruling against Israeli officials, calling it shocking and disturbing. The ICC has emphasized that it will only act if a country's judicial system is unable to genuinely address the cases. A spokesperson for the court indicated that having a strong judicial system is not enough; these systems must actively address the allegations. His remarks suggest that in-depth investigations in Israel regarding the Gaza war may lead to the suspension of warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. However, Israel has yet to announce any specific action in response to the court's rulings. U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has warned that the U.S. will not only sanction the ICC but also impose economic sanctions on allies who act to enforce the ruling. He deemed the ICC incompetent in the Israeli case and stressed that the U.S. must strongly support Israel to prevent the court's jurisdiction from expanding to the U.S. Senator Tom Cotton warned that under the 'Hague Invasion Act,' the U.S. may resort to military action if its citizens or allies are targeted by the ICC. This law emphasizes the U.S.'s non-cooperation with the court. Mike Walters, a proposed national security advisor under Trump, has also promised that the new U.S. administration will respond harshly to the court's and the UN's actions, which are perceived as biased and anti-Israeli. Meanwhile, Yoav Gallant is traveling to Washington to discuss Israel's security needs. While the U.S. is not a member of the ICC, the reactions of European countries and Canada to the court's rulings have raised concerns for Israel. Britain has stated it will respect the ruling. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's remarks in respect to the court's ruling have also been unexpected for Israel. On the other hand, Hungarian President Viktor Orban condemned the ICC ruling and officially invited Netanyahu to visit Hungary.