Report: Israel Interfered in ICC Probe Into Ex-Prosecutor’s Sex Charges

Date: 08 October 2025 - 21:09

News ID: ۱۴۴۳۹۳

THE HAGUE (Dispatches) -- Fresh revelations have emerged in the ongoing investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan, raising further concerns about political interference and internal sabotage of the court’s high-profile probe into Israeli war crimes.
A new report by The New Yorker, titled The Hague on Trial, sheds light on previously undisclosed details, including the role of Khan’s special assistant, Thomas Lynch.
Lynch, reportedly skeptical of issuing charges against Israeli officials, met with Khan’s accuser shortly before her call with him — a call after which an anonymous social media account emerged, leaking allegations and private details.
An email linked to the leak included names, phone numbers, and Hebrew phrases, fueling speculation about possible Israeli involvement or deliberate misdirection.
The report also reveals internal communications in which the accuser expressed mixed signals — appearing warm and supportive toward Khan in private messages, while also documenting explicit claims of misconduct in texts to a friend.
A recorded call from October 2024, in which the woman denied any accusations, contrasts with later, more serious claims submitted during the ongoing UN investigation.
The timing and nature of the leaks — including the release of Khan’s arrest warrants against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and war minister Yoav Gallant — have raised alarms about politically motivated efforts to derail the ICC’s Palestine investigation.
Former UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron reportedly warned Khan that such warrants would be a “hydrogen bomb”, with threats that the UK might withdraw from the ICC.
Similar pressure came from U.S. lawmakers, while Israeli intelligence presence in The Hague further stoked fears of intimidation.
The report also alleges that Nicholas Kaufman, a British-Israeli lawyer linked to Netanyahu’s circle, warned Khan that he and the court would be “destroyed” unless the investigation was dropped.
Khan stepped aside in May pending the outcome of the UN inquiry, amid speculation that the scandal has already impeded the court’s ability to hold Israel accountable for actions in Gaza and the West Bank.