Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his surprise and disappointment over the Biden administration’s decision not to support sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking his arrest. In an interview with Sirius XM radio station, Netanyahu mentioned the US government’s refusal to back the calls of Congress for sanctions if an arrest warrant is issued for him and defense minister Yoav Gallant.
Netanyahu expected the US to support the sanctions bill due to bipartisan consensus just a few days prior, but was taken aback by their change in stance. He defended himself against the ICC’s allegations of withholding humanitarian aid from Gaza during the war, stating that Israel has been supplying food and medicine to the region extensively.
He emphasized that Israel is making efforts to protect civilians during the conflict and dismissed the ICC’s charges as baseless. The ongoing dispute between Netanyahu and the ICC adds to the diplomatic tensions in the region, raising concerns about the future of international relations.