President Joe Biden has strongly condemned the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor for seeking arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a statement, Biden called the move “outrageous” and emphasized that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken also criticized the ICC’s decision, questioning its jurisdiction and process. He warned that the move could jeopardize negotiations for a ceasefire and a hostage deal in the region.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan justified his request for arrest warrants by citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the seven-month-long conflict in Gaza. He named Netanyahu, his defense chief, and three Hamas leaders as individuals bearing criminal responsibility.
Blinken revealed that Israel had been willing to cooperate with the court, but the prosecutor chose to announce the charges on television instead of visiting the country as scheduled. This has raised doubts about the legitimacy and credibility of the investigation.
The United States has a history of clashing with the ICC over its investigations into war crimes. Former President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sanctions on the court’s staff, including then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. However, Biden’s administration lifted those sanctions in April 2021.
The escalating tensions between the ICC, Israel, and the United States highlight the complexities of international justice and diplomacy in the midst of ongoing conflicts.