Qatar denies allegations of pressure on ICC prosecutor to obtain arrest warrants for Israeli leaders

Qatar has strongly denied allegations that Doha held behind-the-scenes talks with International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan to secure arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.

An official statement issued by the Qatar International Media Office on April 29 said the allegations come from “Israeli officials who have repeatedly spread false information about Qatar through selective leaks for their own benefit.” According to Doha, “these individuals are trying to avoid domestic and international legal responsibility at any cost” and are “using Qatar to divert attention from their own actions.”

The reason for the statement was the publication of The Wall Street Journal, which, citing witness statements available to the FBI and audio recordings, claims that Qatar promised to “take care” of prosecutor Khan if he issues arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Galante. According to the publication, Khan hesitated, and representatives of “Country K” assured him of support. Khan’s lawyer rejected the claims, saying the prosecutor never negotiated with Qatari officials about the warrants. The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded by calling Khan a “corrupt prosecutor.”