By Francis Kioko
Date 20 May 2024
Washington, D.C. – President Joe Biden has condemned as “outrageous” the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) pursuit of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Hamas officials over actions in Gaza.
Biden’s remarks came after ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced he was seeking the arrests of Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three top Hamas figures: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh. The charges relate to alleged crimes in Gaza, including a deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
In his statement, Biden criticized the ICC for equating Israel with Hamas, an Islamist militant group governing Gaza since 2006. “The ICC prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous,” Biden declared. “There is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken supported Biden’s stance, arguing the ICC lacks jurisdiction in this case and warning that the warrants could hinder ceasefire efforts. “The ICC has no jurisdiction over this matter,” Blinken asserted. He emphasized that the court’s actions bypassed the Israeli legal system’s ability to address the issues.
The ICC’s move coincides with a separate genocide accusation against Israel by South Africa, currently under review by the International Court of Justice. Israel denies these allegations.
The Biden administration’s robust defense of Israel follows recent tensions over Israeli plans for an offensive in Rafah, Gaza. Biden previously warned that he might withhold U.S. weapons if Netanyahu proceeded with a major invasion of the city.
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