The Guardian writes that it has found out that Yossi Cohen, the former head of Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency, attempted to threaten the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, to halt the investigation against Israeli leadership.
According to The Guardian, the investigation culminated last week when the new ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders: Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif.
The Guardian claims that Cohen's operation was authorized "at a high level" with the objective of either compromising the prosecutor or persuading her to act in Israel's interests. One source said that Cohen acted as Netanyahu's "unofficial messenger."
Sources confirmed that Bensouda had briefed several senior ICC officials about Cohen's increasing pressure. "You should help us and let us take care of you. You don't want to be getting into things that could compromise your security or that of your family", Cohen reportedly told her.
This alleged intimidation campaign spanned almost ten years, including the surveillance of the chief prosecutor's husband's phone.
A spokesperson for Israel's prime minister's office has denied the allegations. Both Cohen and Bensouda declined to comment.
