WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday slammed the Worldwide Legal Court docket prosecutor’s utility for arrest warrants for senior Israeli officers together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling the transfer “outrageous”.
“And let me be clear: whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.” Biden mentioned in an announcement.
His prime aide Secretary of State Antony Blinken additionally criticized the transfer, elevating questions over the court docket’s jurisdiction in addition to its course of in making this utility. He added that it may jeopardize negotiations to attain a hostage deal and a ceasefire.
“Fundamentally, this decision does nothing to help, and could jeopardize, ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement that would get hostages out and surge humanitarian assistance in,” Blinken mentioned.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan mentioned he had requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his defence chief and three Hamas leaders over alleged struggle crimes.
Khan mentioned in an announcement issued after over seven months of struggle in Gaza that he had affordable grounds to consider that the 5 males “bear criminal responsibility” for alleged struggle crimes and crimes towards humanity.
Blinken mentioned Israel was ready to cooperate with the court docket and that the prosecutor was scheduled to go to Israel as early as subsequent week, however as an alternative he went on a cable tv to announce the fees.
“These and other circumstances call into question the legitimacy and credibility of this investigation,” Blinken mentioned.
In 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration accused the ICC of infringing on U.S. nationwide sovereignty when it approved an investigation into struggle crimes dedicated in Afghanistan. The U.S. focused court docket employees, together with then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, with asset freezes and journey bans.
Biden’s administration lifted these sanctions in April 2021.
