Israeli embassy and Indian forces hold security drill as diplomats brace for surge of antisemitic attacks

Heightened security measures come in the wake of the ICC reportedly intending to arrest senior Israeli officials.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

The Embassy of Israel in India said on Wednesday it conducted a security drill in collaboration with Indian security forces in New Delhi last week.

The announcement came as Israeli diplomatic missions are bracing for a surge of antisemitism amid reports that the International Court of Justice may issue arrest warrants for Israel’s top leaders.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz instructed the country’s embassies to “immediately prepare for the outbreak of a severe anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli anti-Semitic wave in the world.”

Due to what the Foreign Ministry said is the “seriousness of the threat,” Katz also instructed Israeli representatives to impress on local Jewish communities the need to boost security for their institutions.

In recent days, reports have multiplied that the ICC chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, may soon issue warrants for the arrest of senior Israeli officials for war crimes, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Chief of the Israel Defense Forces Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi.

It is also speculated that Khan will ask for warrants to be issued against Hamas leaders.

Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, which founded the ICC.

According to the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, the drill’s primary objective was “to assess and synchronize the readiness of security forces to counter potential future threats effectively.”

Involved in the day and night simulations were India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, the Delhi Police, the National Security Guard, and local emergency services such as the fire department and traffic police.

The embassy said the exercise enabled the embassy staff and Indian forces to refine their coordination, communication, and operational procedures.

“These collaborative exercises strengthen our nations’ cooperation in security and defense and reinforce our shared commitment to global stability.

We remain steadfast in our determination to foster continued collaboration for a safer world,” said Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon.

In February 2012, bombings targeting Israeli embassy personnel in New Delhi and Bangkok injured four, while another bomb was discovered and safely defused in Tbilisi. The attacks were attributed to Iran.