"The sources at The Hague said that it is impossible that the chief prosecutor would have decided on such a dramatic step, in a war that is still ongoing, with very little evidence, if he had not at least had a 'green light' from the Americans. If this is true, this is another and unprecedented low in relations between Israel and the U.S., at a very sensitive time, on the eve of the ground entry to Rafah," wrote Israeli journalist Amit Segal.
According to the report, an emergency meeting was held at Netanyahu's office on April 16 in the presence of Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Foreign Minister Israel Katz. The United States has also voiced strong objections to the Palestinians joining the ICC, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously expressing "serious concerns about the ICC's attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel."