South Korea's Lee calls Netanyahu 'war criminal'

<thread> 1/ South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "war criminal" and urged Seoul to review International Criminal Court arrest warrants targeting Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The remarks came after Israel intercepted a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on Tuesday and detained two South Korean activists aboard. Lee accused Israel of "illegally detaining" the pair as part of its naval blockade. Israel released the two Korean nationals—identified as activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition—early Thursday, less than 24 hours after Lee's public criticism, according to South Korea's presidential office. 2/ Lee's comments marked his sharpest criticism of Israel since taking office in March 2026. He said South Korea "should seriously consider" the ICC warrants issued in November 2024 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The flotilla, named "Handala," carried humanitarian aid including baby formula and medical supplies aimed at breaking Israel's blockade of Gaza, which began after Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack. Israeli forces boarded the vessel in international waters 200 km from Gaza, detaining all six activists aboard. The two South Koreans were among those held briefly at Ashdod port before release. Israel's Foreign Ministry said the interception prevented "terror-linked" groups from exploiting aid efforts. 3/ Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted videos on social media Wednesday taunting the detained activists, including one showing him eating a banana in front of them and saying, "Bon appétit." Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar quickly distanced themselves. Sa'ar called Ben-Gvir "not the face of Israel" in a statement to reporters. Netanyahu's office said the videos were "inappropriate." Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, defended the posts as a response to "hypocritical" activists. The episode highlighted internal coalition tensions over messaging on Gaza. 4/ The ICC warrants, sought by prosecutor Karim Khan, accuse Netanyahu and Gallant of starvation policies and attacks on civilians during Israel's war in Gaza, which has killed over 43,000 Palestinians per Gaza health ministry figures. Israel rejects the court's jurisdiction, calling it antisemitic. Lee's intervention pulls South Korea—a non-ICC member—into the legal dispute. Historically neutral on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Seoul has increased aid to Gaza since October 2023, sending $5 million in humanitarian assistance last year. South Korea's foreign ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador Thursday to protest the detentions, signaling potential strain in bilateral ties valued at $10 billion in annual trade. 5/ Netanyahu's office confirmed the activists' release without directly addressing Lee's "war criminal" label. Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon called Lee's remarks "outrageous" during a Security Council session Thursday. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition vowed to send more vessels, with organizers citing the quick release as proof of diplomatic pressure's impact. A coalition spokesman said a new ship is preparing in Catania, Italy. Lee's office said the president will discuss the incident at the G7 summit in Hiroshima next week, where Netanyahu is not invited but ICC warrant enforcement may arise. </thread>