The move by the ICC was greeted with outrage across Israel, where Netanyahu is widely regarded as a deeply divisive figure, with even his bitterest political enemies denouncing it as unconscionable.
It came at a pivotal time for Netanyahu – Israel’s longest serving prime minister – who is in the midst of leading wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and an on-off conflict with Israel’s arch-foe, Iran.
The wars, meanwhile, are taking place against the backdrop of a criminal trial inside Israel of Netanyahu on suspicion of bribery and corruption – charges he emphatically denies.
The conflicts have delayed the proceedings (giving rise to claims by some that Netanyahu wants to prolong the war in Gaza to avoid facing the trial). The attack of 7 October, and the war which followed, also put the brakes on weekly mass protests against judicial reforms planned by Netanyahu which polarised the country for months. Netanyahu’s critics accused the prime minister of tearing the country apart and being a danger to democracy.
Despite all his woes, many of which have threatened to topple him, Netanyahu has a reputation as a wiley political survivor.
Re-elected for a record fifth time in November 2022, he leads – as head of the Likud party – the most right-wing coalition in Israel’s history.
His return to power followed a relatively brief spell in opposition after 12 straight years as prime minister, his dramatic comeback sealing a belief among his supporters that “King Bibi” is politically invincible.
Netanyahu, 75, has held office six times, an unrivalled success which owed much to the image he cultivated as “Mr Security” – the best person to be in charge of Israel’s defence.
He has previously said he wants to be remembered most as Israel’s protector.
But, on 7 October 2023, Israel suffered the most catastrophic attack in its history under Netanyahu’s watch, when hundreds of Hamas gunmen burst through the border from Gaza. They killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others back to Gaza as hostages.
Netanyahu launched a war to destroy Hamas in response, one which is still being fought over a year later. At least 44,000 people have been killed by Israel’s attacks in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, bringing condemnation on Israel from the international community.
Netanyahu has also faced – and resisted – huge pressure domestically to agree to a ceasefire to bring about the release of about 100 hostages still being held by Hamas. Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for the failure to reach a deal.
Meanwhile Israel has also faced over a year of attacks by the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah in Lebanon, which says it is acting in solidarity with the Palestinians. At least 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes in northern Israel because of the attacks.
Netanyahu’s approval ratings plummeted in the wake of the 7 October 2023 attack, with opponents – and even supporters – calling on him to accept responsibility for the worst intelligence failure in Israel’s history. Netanyahu has so far deflected personal blame.
But some major successes for Israel – including the killings of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah – and a popular ground offensive against Hezbollah have seen Netanyahu’s ratings rebound.
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