Israel is not taking the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lying down. On Sunday, the Prime Minister's Office issued a blistering statement on X, calling the ICC "a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis."

The statement described the warrant as "bogus" and alleged it was issued by former ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan "a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public." The implication? Khan was trying to change the subject. "It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny," the statement said.

Israel also defended its military operations in Gaza, arguing that under Netanyahu's leadership, the country "has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians" while fighting Hamas, which it described as "a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians."

The statement took a swipe at New York politician Zohran Mamdani, saying, "Instead of backing Khan's criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York." It added, "Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies."

This isn't the first time Netanyahu has been in the hot seat over international law. Earlier this month, he defended his government's record on law enforcement in the West Bank after Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) accused Israeli settlers and IDF soldiers of detaining American citizens. Netanyahu insisted Israel upholds the rule of law and prosecutes violations.

Last month, he called for greater Israeli independence in weapons production, citing tensions with Iran and arguing that domestic arms manufacturing is critical for long-term security.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is gearing up for a re-election bid. His Likud party confirmed he will seek another term, with the vote set to be Israel's first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. His current term has been defined by wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, along with domestic political challenges.