According to a Wall Street Journal report, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is grappling with a major credibility crisis as its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, faces serious allegations of sexual assault—just as he came under growing pressure from pro-Palestinian groups to act against Israel.
A former ICC staff member and Malaysian lawyer has accused Khan of coerced sexual acts during official travel and at his residence in The Hague. These allegations are now under investigation by a UN-led external body. Khan has denied all wrongdoing.
The accusations surfaced shortly before Khan announced controversial arrest warrants in May 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The timing has raised eyebrows, with some critics suggesting the move against Israeli leaders was intended to deflect attention from Khan’s own misconduct scandal.
WSJ writes that for months, pro-Palestinian NGOs and legal activists had been lobbying Khan intensely, urging him to open cases against Israeli officials while accusing the court of dragging its feet. Demonstrations, open letters, and social media campaigns called on the ICC to hold Israeli leaders accountable for alleged war crimes, especially in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Khan’s decision to pursue Israeli officials marked the first time the ICC has sought to arrest a democratically elected leader from a Western-aligned state. Israel and its allies strongly condemned the move, calling it a politically motivated attempt to criminalize self-defense. The U.S., which is not a member of the ICC, also objected sharply, with several lawmakers accusing the court of weaponizing international law for political purposes.
The controversy has sparked internal dissent within the ICC. Staff have raised concerns about the institution’s integrity and the damage the dual scandals—both legal and ethical—could inflict on its already fragile legitimacy.
As the probe into Khan’s conduct unfolds, the ICC now finds itself in a precarious position: under fire from both critics of its Israel investigation and those demanding more aggressive action. The court’s future role in global justice may well hinge on how it navigates this volatile moment.
The lawyer who complained against him about sexual assault also supported the warrant, and he tried to pressure her to withdraw the complaint on the grounds that it could harm "the Palestinian arrest warrants."