ICC responds to Blinken's criticism of arrest warrant application for Israeli leaders

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan speaks with the press in Paris in February. Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)

The International Criminal Court has responded to criticism by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, telling CNN's Christiane Amanpour that the ICC prosecutor has spent "three years" trying to improve dialogue with Israel and obtain information relevant to our investigations."

Blinken criticized the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan for rushing to apply for the warrants and "not allowing the Israeli legal system a full and timely opportunity to proceed."

"Despite significant efforts, the (office of the prosecutor) has not received any information that has demonstrated genuine action at the domestic level to address the crimes alleged or the individuals under investigation," the ICC said. 

"The prosecutor also repeatedly underlined his concerns regarding the adherence of Israel to international humanitarian law and has emphasized publicly that he has not seen any discernible change in conduct despite his earlier statements."