Smotrich on Tuesday said the arrest warrant application for him at the International Criminal Court amounts to a “declaration of war” and threatened immediate retaliation against Palestinians.
"Issuing arrest warrants against the prime minister is a declaration of war. Issuing arrest warrants against the minister of defence and the minister of finance is a declaration of war," he said.
MEE on Monday reported that the office of the prosecutor of the ICC last month filed a secret arrest warrant application for Smotrich over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
"The Palestinian Authority has started a war, and it will get a war ... I promise all our enemies: this is only the beginning." Smotrich said, adding that he would use his powers to sign an immediate order to expel residents of the Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank.