NEW YORK, United States — Former International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan has been removed from office after 82 out of 125 member states voted in favour of his dismissal over allegations of serious misconduct and breach of duty.
The decision was reached through a secret ballot held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Khan, 56, had been suspended earlier following allegations of sexual misconduct, claims he has consistently denied.
His lawyer has said Khan intends to challenge the decision through all available legal channels.
The removal of Khan has drawn a reaction from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes linked to the Gaza conflict.
Speaking after the decision, Netanyahu accused Khan of pursuing charges against him as a way of protecting his own position.
“He thought that if there was an indictment, he would keep his job. There was an indictment, and eventually he lost his job,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader further claimed that Khan’s removal proved that the allegations against him lacked credibility.
“He was removed by many nations that understood he was not credible,” Netanyahu added.
In 2024, Khan sought arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other Israeli officials over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza war. The move triggered strong criticism from Israel and its allies and has complicated Netanyahu’s travel to countries that are members of the ICC.
Netanyahu also criticised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had previously said he would seek Netanyahu’s arrest if he visited the city, although he later acknowledged that he lacked the legal authority to do so.
“Khan’s removal shows that the allegations being used against me had no basis,” Netanyahu said.
Despite the controversy, Netanyahu has announced that he plans to attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York in September.
“I intend to come to New York and speak the truth, defend Israel, and speak about the Israel-US alliance from the podium of the United Nations,” he said.
