Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the International Criminal Court's decision to detain him “was met with an encouraging mobilization by many friends, led by the US, and shows that this action will have serious consequences for the ICC and those who they cooperate.” Joe Biden, the president of the United States, said: “No matter what the ICC decides, there is no equality between Israel and Hamas.” The European Union, in turn, stated that arrest warrants issued by the ICC are binding on all EU member states.
Netanyahu posted a video on social media Thursday night criticizing the ICC's decision. He called it an “anti-Semitic move” aimed at preventing Israel from defending itself against its enemies who want to destroy the Jewish state. “This is a violation of the natural right of democracy to defend itself against murderous terrorism,” he said. Netanyahu said that Israel “does not recognize and will not recognize this outrageous decision to stop the state and him personally from defending the country in any way.” “We will not be pressured,” he stressed.
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu ABIR SULTAN/PAP/EPA
Biden on the “scandalous” decision of the ICC
US President Joe Biden said in a press release: “No matter what the ICC rules, there is no equality between Israel and Hamas.” He added: “We will always stand by Israel in the face of threats to its security.”
A Council spokesman said: “The United States strongly rejects the ICC's decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials. We are deeply concerned by the prosecutor's rush to seek arrest warrants and the embarrassing procedural errors that led to this decision.” media on Thursday. He added that the administration is currently discussing next steps on this issue with US partner countries.
The United States is not a member of the ICC, but supporters of Israel in the US Congress reacted angrily to the Court's decision on Thursday and called for sanctions against the Court.
International Criminal Court in The Hague Shutterstock
“The International Criminal Court is not credible and these allegations have been denied by the US government. Israel has legally defended its nation and its borders against genocidal terrorists. A strong response to the anti-Semitic bias of the International Criminal Court and the United Nations can be expected in January,” said the congressman. Mike Waltz, who has been chosen by President-elect Donald Trump as the next US national security adviser.
“If we don't take strong action against the International Criminal Court after its disgraceful decision to issue an arrest warrant for Israel's prime minister and former defense minister, we will be making a huge mistake. I fear that the US will be next in line,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham wrote in website X. with reference to current President Joe Biden and future President Donald Trump.
The reaction of Brussels
“The arrest warrants of the International Criminal Court against the Prime Minister of Israel, the former Minister of Defense of Israel and the leader of Hamas are binding on all member states of the Rome Statute, which includes all member states of the European Union.” Policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on Thursday.
Ankara on “an important step” towards justice
Ankara welcomed the decision of the ICC.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakon Fidan wrote on social networks: “The arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant are promising from the point of view of justice.” He considered that the decision of the ICC is “an important step towards bringing the representatives of the Israeli authorities to justice.”
He also announced that Ankara “will continue to work to implement international laws so that the perpetrators of the genocide are punished.” Fidan declared that “this is not only the responsibility of the dead Palestinians, but also for all oppressed nations and future generations”.
Three warrants for his arrest
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Thursday ordered the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza. Street and Hamas attack on Israel. October 2023.
SEE MORE: Arrest warrant for Israeli prime minister. “The decision is not political”
The Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC found that “there are reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Galant willfully and deliberately deprived the people of the Gaza Strip of the necessities of life, including food, water, medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity,” it said. in which a unanimous decision by three judges of the Court.
Therefore, the ICC concluded that “there are grounds for believing that both politicians are responsible for war crimes, that is, the use of starvation as a method of war, and crimes against humanity in the form of murder, torture and other inhumane acts.” The court added that Netanyahu and Galant are also suspected of committing the war crime of intentionally attacking civilians as civilian army officers.
Arrest warrant for the Prime Minister of Israel. “The decision is not political” Jakub Loska/Fakti o Świecie TVN24 BiS
It was also mentioned that this decision refers to Israel's actions during the war in the Gaza Strip in the period from October 8, 2023 to at least May 20, 2024, when the ICC Prosecutor's Office issued a request for the arrest of Israeli politicians.
Israel does not recognize the ICC and, in particular, the US or Russia have not ratified the Rome Statute that established it.
However, Palestine is a member of the treaty and the ICC has decided to investigate alleged crimes committed in the Palestinian territories, including the occupied territories of Israel. He also noted that official doubts on the part of Israel at this stage are premature and that the country will continue to have the right to question the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Main photo credit: ABIR SULTAN/PAP/EPA
