US President Joe Biden has labeled the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials as “outrageous” in a recent statement.
“Regardless of what the ICC may suggest, there is no comparison – none – between Israel and Hamas,” Mr. Biden asserted after the international court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“We will always support Israel against threats to its security,” the US President emphasized.
Previously, the White House stated it “fundamentally rejects” the calls for arrests.
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The statement did not mention an ICC arrest warrant also issued for Mohammed Deif, the military leader of Hamas.
Mike Waltz, who is set to become the national security adviser under US president-elect Donald Trump, defended Israel and vowed a “strong response to the anti-Semitic bias of the ICC and UN come January”.
“The ICC lacks credibility and these claims have been disproven by the US government,” Mr. Waltz commented on the social media platform X.
His remarks echoed broader discontent among Republicans, with some advocating for the US Senate to impose sanctions on the ICC, which comprises 124 national members theoretically obligated to arrest individuals named in warrants.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the ICC, both of which have rejected its jurisdiction.
The Hague-based court stated that the warrants for Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant were issued “for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024”.
A warrant was also issued for Deif, whom Israel claims was killed in an airstrike in Gaza in July. Hamas has yet to confirm his death.
Read more: What’s next after ICC issues warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders?
Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is currently holding the EU’s rotating presidency, announced he would invite Mr. Netanyahu to visit and defy the ICC’s arrest warrant.
“Later today, I will invite the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Netanyahu, to visit Hungary, where I will assure him that, if he comes, the ruling of the International Criminal Court will have no bearing in Hungary, and that we will not adhere to its terms,” Mr. Orban stated on state radio.
In another development, China has called on the ICC to maintain objectivity and fairness following the issuance of the arrest warrant.
“China hopes the ICC will uphold an objective and just position (and) exercise its powers in accordance with the law,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian remarked at a regular press conference in response to inquiries.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris stated that Mr. Netanyahu would face arrest if he arrives in Ireland.
“We support international courts and we enforce their warrants,” he asserted.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin expressed his concerns regarding the US stance towards the ICC and disagreed with Mr. Biden’s characterization of the arrest warrants as “outrageous”.
In an interview on Newstalk radio, he emphasized the necessity for accountability at the international level through a judicial system, stressing the importance of respecting the court’s independence.
