Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor’s call for arrest warrants. The ICC prosecutor requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas leaders over war crimes in the Gaza conflict.
Netanyahu responded by angrily rejecting any comparison between democratic Israel and what he called “mass murderers.”
The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, stated there are reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are criminally responsible for war crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Netanyahu called the arrest application an “absurd and false order” in a public statement in Hebrew. He questioned the ICC’s audacity in comparing Hamas and Israel, “With what audacity (the ICC would) dare to compete (Hamas and Israel).”
Netanyahu also accused the prosecutor of “pouring gasoline on the fires of antisemitism” worldwide.
US President Joe Biden supported Netanyahu’s statement, saying there is “no equivalence, none, between Israel and Hamas.” He emphasized that Israel aims to protect civilians.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also condemned the warrant, stating that Washington “fundamentally rejects” the move and calling it “shameful.” Blinken asserted that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the matter.
