‘Outrageous’ – White House, US Officials Reject ICC Arrest Warrants

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“The ICC issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous.” – Joe Biden

US officials denounced the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, calling it a “dangerous” move that undermines Israel’s right to defend itself.

The White House rejected the ICC’s decision in a statement, and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) pledged to impose sanctions on the court in the coming year.

“The ICC’s arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant is outrageous, unlawful, and dangerous,” Thune stated.

“Israel has a right to defend itself, and the ICC’s rogue actions only enable the terrorists who seek to wipe Israel off the map,” he continued.

US President Joe Biden slammed the issuance of arrest warrants as “outrageous”.ù

‘Int’l. Justice on Our Side’ – Reaction to ICC Arrest Warrants

In an official statement on Thursday, Biden said that “whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.”

Several Republican figures also voiced their opposition to the ICC’s decision, launching a fierce campaign of condemnation.

Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor, promised a firm response toward the ICC and the United Nations.

“The ICC has no credibility, and these allegations have been refuted by the US government,” Waltz wrote on X.

“Israel has lawfully defended its people & borders from genocidal terrorists. You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC & UN come January,” he added.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham pledged to introduce legislation to penalize countries that cooperate with the ICC’s decision.

“If we do not act forcefully against the ICC after their outrageous decision … we are making a huge mistake,” Graham stated, warning that the United States could also face ICC jurisdiction in the future.

Graham added that neither Israel nor the United States is a member of the ICC. 

War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity – ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant

“If we do not fight back, it is as if we are conceding that they have jurisdiction over the United States,” he stressed.

The senator explained that his proposed legislation would impose consequences on nations that “aid and abet” the ICC in implementing the arrest warrants. He called such actions “reckless” and a “threat to the rule of law.”

Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described the ICC’s decision as a “complete disgrace.”

He reiterated that Israel is not a member of the ICC and, therefore, not under its jurisdiction. “The US must move forward with sanctions against this corrupt organization,” Risch asserted.

Republican Senator Tim Scott, also a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accused the ICC of being an “anti-Israel propaganda machine” that supports U.S. adversaries.

“The court’s illegitimate targeting of Israel for defending its people from terror should not be tolerated and should be met with immediate and severe sanctions,” Scott said, as reported by Anadolu.

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ICC’s Ruling

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ICC confirmed the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024.

The allegations include using starvation as a weapon of war, murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts. The ICC emphasized that Israel’s acceptance of the court’s jurisdiction is unnecessary and disclosed the warrants in the interest of the victims.

In addition to Netanyahu and Gallant, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed al-Deif, the commander of Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan had initially requested the warrants in May, stating that Netanyahu and Gallant bore “criminal responsibility” for mass starvation in Gaza, which constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Staggering Death Toll

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza. 

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.  

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 44,056 Palestinians have been killed, and 104,268 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip. 

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’. 

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Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children. 

The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.

Later in the war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians began moving from the south to central Gaza in a constant search for safety.  

(PC, Anadolu)

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