TEHRAN- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been haunted by deep fear amid reports that the International Criminal Court could issue arrest warrants against him and some other top regime officials.

Earlier this month, one of Israel's leading television news outlets, Channel 12, revealed that Israeli officials were increasingly worried about the possibility of issuing such rulings by The Hague-based ICC over violations of international law in Gaza.

The channel said Netanyahu’s office had held an “emergency discussion” on the issue.

The report noted that the highest political and legal elite in Israel were present at the discussion and considered likely scenarios in the face of the ICC’s possible move. 

The news channel said the ICC may hand down the rulings at the end of next month.

The TV outlet confirmed that Netanyahu has called on British and German foreign ministers during their visit to Israel to intervene to prevent the issuance of arrest warrants. 

Despite having butterflies in his stomach, the Israeli premier has attempted to play down the possibility of issuing the arrest warrants. 

“Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the International Criminal Court in The Hague to undermine its basic right to defend itself,” Netanyahu said.

He added, “While decisions made by the court in The Hague will not affect Israel’s actions, they will set a dangerous precedent that threatens soldiers and public figures.” 

Israel launched war on Gaza soon after Hamas carried out a surprise military operation in southern Israel on October 7.

Over the near seven-month period, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians and injured more than 77,000 others in ground, air and sea offensive.

The onslaught has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people and created a humanitarian crisis.

The Netanyahu regime stands accused of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Gaza. 

UN experts have also accused Israel of “intentionally starving the Palestinian people” in Gaza as the regime has largely restricted the entry of food, water, medicines, fuel and other essentials since the war erupted. 

Nonetheless, Netanyahu calls the brutal war on Gaza “self-defense”.

Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until “total victory” over Hamas, although the premier and his Western supporters are completely sure that the regime will not be able to eliminate the resistance group. 

Despite that, Netanyahu seeks to prolong the war and has vowed to launch a ground incursion into Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah where more than half of the territory’s population have sought refuge. 

The United Nations and international aid groups have warned about the humanitarian consequences of a ground assault in Rafah.  

Netanyahu who is under fire for failing to prevent the October 7 attack, believes that the continuation of the war will provide him a lifeline. 

Currently, Israel remains accused of committing genocide in a case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice. Israel has ignored an ICJ ruling which demanded in late January that the regime take all possible measures to prevent genocidal acts. The ICJ verdict has failed to put a halt to Israel’s deadly strikes against Palestinians in Gaza. 

But the ICJ case is separate from the ICC investigation. 

Israel is not an ICC member and does not recognize its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted as a member state in 2015.

In October, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said the court had jurisdiction over any potential war crimes that Israel has perpetrated in Gaza.  The issuance of arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli officials who are complicit in the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza could be a blow to the regime which does not scruple to slaughter civilians including women and children.