Former ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, who issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024—shortly after two women accused him of assault—has been revealed to have acted against Israel after being bribed by Qatar, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.
The article says that Khan issued the arrest warrants after a Qatari intelligence agent promised to “take care” of him if he acted against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Evidence of Qatar’s attempt to influence Khan was submitted to the FBI and members of Congress, including a witness statement and documentary materials.
The article corroborates a report by The Guardian in November 2025 that the first woman who accused Khan of assault was later targeted by private intelligence firms hired by Qatar in a covert operation to discredit her credibility and her claims against Khan.
The intelligence operation, which a high-level Qatari government office commissioned, also unsuccessfully sought to establish ties between the woman and Israel.
Khan was also accused of taking revenge on staff who supported his first accuser.
Earlier this month, the ICC voted to advance disciplinary proceedings against Khan for the assault allegations. Khan has been on leave from his position since May 2025.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry referred to the article on Tuesday, stating: “Buying off the ICC Prosecutor. Qatar launched an intelligence operation and promised to ‘look after’ Karim Khan over targeting Israel. When the operation’s manager was asked if backing came from a sheikh or the state, he said: ‘The state.’
“A crooked prosecutor. A corrupted court.”
In December 2025, the judges of the ICC rejected Israel’s request to revoke the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant and to disqualify Khan from any involvement in proceedings regarding Israel in the wake of the harassment accusations.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
