US rejects ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials: White House
The United States has rejected the decision by the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, a White House National Security Council spokesperson said.
“The United States fundamentally rejects the Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials,” the spokesperson said. “We remain deeply concerned by the Prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.”
Rush???
Russia invaded Ukraine February 24 2022, ICC issued arrest warrant for Putin March 23 2023. 392 days later.
Israel started bombing Gaze Oct 7th 2023, full scale ground invasion on Oct 27th, today is November 21st 2024. 410 (390) days later.
Incoming top Trump aide warns ICC of ‘strong response’
Congressman Mike Waltz, who is set to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser, has slammed the court over the Netanyahu and Gallant arrest warrants.
“The ICC has no credibility and these allegations have been refuted by the US government,” Waltz wrote in a social media post. “Israel has lawfully defended its people & borders from genocidal terrorists. You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC & UN come January.”
Trump will be inaugurated on January 20.
Numerous human rights organisations have documented horrific Israeli abuses in Gaza, including forced displacement, the targeting of civilians and the use of hunger as a weapon of war. UN experts have also accused Israel of carrying out a genocide against Palestinians.
Long-serving Republican US senator calls for sanctions against ICC
Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, says it is time for the US government to penalise the ICC for its warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.
The US House of Representatives passed a bill in June to impose sanctions on court officials, but the measure has not been considered by the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck “Schumer needs to pass the bipartisan legislation that came from the House sanctioning the Court for such an outrage and President Biden needs to sign it. Now,” Graham wrote in a social media post.
In 2021, the Democratic Biden administration removed sanctions on ICC officials that had been imposed by Trump, who will be sworn in for a second term on January 20. His Republican Party will also control both houses of Congress beginning in the new year after elections this month gave the party a majority in the Senate.
The US is not party to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC and is not bound to enforce the arrest warrants. But sanctioning the ICC would raise further questions about Washington’s professed commitment to the “rules-based order”.
US mayor says his city would arrest Netanyahu
Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, says the city would enforce the ICC warrant against Gallant and Netanyahu.
“Dearborn will arrest Netanyahu & Gallant if they step within Dearborn city limits,” Hammoud wrote in a social media post. “Other cities should declare the same. Our president may not take action, but city leaders can ensure Netanyahu & other war criminals are not welcome to travel freely across these United States.”
The US does not recognise the ICC’s jurisdiction on its soil, so it is not clear whether municipalities have the authority to arrest Netanyahu. Still, Hammoud’s threat highlights the legal perils Netanyahu and Gallant will face across the world as formally suspected war criminals.
US officials can be personally liable for Israeli abuses: Rights group
DAWN, a US-based rights group, welcomes the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant and warns Biden administration officials – including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin – that they could be next.
“By continuing to provide military assistance to Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, despite credible accusations of war crimes by the ICC, US leaders … are exposing themselves to personal liability under international law,” Raed Jarrar, DAWN’s advocacy director, said in a statement.
“Article 25(3)( c ) of the Rome Statute outlines clear criminal liability for aiding and abetting war crimes, which applies to individuals in non-member states like the US when their actions enable violations under ICC jurisdiction.”
While the US does not recognise the court’s jurisdiction, Palestine does. So, according to rights advocates, US involvement in war crimes committed in Palestine makes American officials open to ICC prosecution.
A recent Brown University study found that the Biden administration spent $17.9bn on security assistance to Israel over the past year – funds that were vital to the US ally’s devastating war on Gaza.
