The United States on Thursday strongly rejected the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
A spokesperson from the White House National Security Council voiced their disapproval, citing concerns over the ICC’s procedures and questioning the urgency with which the Prosecutor pursued the warrants.
According to Reuters, the spokesperson stated, “The United States fundamentally rejects the Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials. We remain deeply concerned by the Prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.”
This criticism comes amid growing diplomatic tensions as the US government consults with its allies on how to respond to the ICC’s actions.
The decision by the ICC, which was announced on Thursday, has sparked intense international debate and controversy.
The warrants were issued as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged war crimes committed during the conflict in Gaza, particularly between October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024.
These alleged violations include accusations of crimes against humanity and war crimes, although Netanyahu and Gallant have denied the charges, with Israeli officials also rejecting the ICC’s jurisdiction over the matter.
The ICC’s statement on Thursday confirmed the issuance of arrest warrants for the two Israeli officials, stating, “The Chamber issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr. Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024, the day the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest.”
The court also issued a warrant for the arrest of Mohammed Deif, the military commander of Hamas, for his alleged role in the ongoing violence.
In a rare move, the ICC made the warrants public, explaining that the arrest warrants were initially kept secret to protect witnesses and maintain the integrity of the investigation.
However, the court emphasized that it was in the interest of victims and their families to make the information public.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan had requested the warrants earlier in 2024, citing the ongoing violations related to the Gaza conflict.
“The Chamber considered it to be in the interest of victims and their families that they are made aware of the warrants’ existence,” the ICC’s statement added.
Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of being involved in Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which began after Hamas launched a major assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
In retaliation, Israel began extensive military operations in Gaza.
The health ministry in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, reported more than 44,000 deaths and over 100,000 injuries as a result of the fighting, which has continued for over 13 months.
In a related update, the ICC had initially sought an arrest warrant for Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. However, this request was withdrawn after Haniyeh’s death in Tehran on July 31.
The ICC also mentioned that reports of Deif’s death in a July 13 airstrike remain unverified, with Hamas officials strongly denying the claim.
As the international community watches closely, the court’s actions in this high-profile case raise significant questions about the role of the ICC in addressing alleged war crimes in ongoing conflicts.
