 "Netanyahu calls ICC arrest warrant against him 'disgusting'; US warns of 'strong response'")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday rejected the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant against him “with disgust”.
“There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza," Netanyahu said.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu, former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas officials. Israel has been accused of war crimes in Gaza while Hamas officials have been blamed for the October 7 attack.
“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 Hague-based ICC said in a statement.
An ICC arrest warrant will restrict Netanyahu’s movement as any of the court’s 124 national members would be obliged to arrest him on their territory.
Israeli leaders condemn warrant
Israeli leaders have condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for warrants as disgraceful and antisemitic.
Government and Opposition leaders have come together to slam ICC’s warrant, calling it “antisemitic”.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said, “The answer to the arrest warrants is applying sovereignty over all the territories of Judea and Samaria and settlement in all parts of the country and severing ties with the terrorist [Palestinian] authority, along with sanctions.”
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog said, “This is a black day for justice. This is a black day for humanity.”
זהו יום שחור לצדק.
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) November 21, 2024
זהו יום שחור לאנושות.
ההחלטה המופרכת של בית הדין הפלילי הבינלאומי, שנעשתה בחוסר תום לב, הפכה את הצדק האוניברסלי לבדיחה אוניברסלית. היא שמה ללעג את קורבנם של כל אלו שנלחמו למען הצדק - מניצחון בעלות הברית על הנאצים ועד היום.
ההחלטה מתעלמת מהמצוקה הנוראית של…
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More Shorts“Israel is defending itself against terrorist organizations that attacked, murdered and raped our citizens. These arrest warrants are a reward for terrorism,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said.
‘Important step towards justice’
Meanwhile, Hamas, whose own members, including the presumably dead Mohammad Deif, have been named in the warrant has called the move an “important step towards justice”.
Israel said in early August it had killed Deif in an air strike in southern Gaza in July, although Hamas denies he is dead.
The arrest warrants had been classified as “secret”, to protect witnesses and to safeguard the conduct of the investigations, the court said.
US refutes ICC’s allegations
The United States has rejected the accusations made by ICC in its arrest warrant against the Israeli leaders.
Rep. Mike Waltz said, “The ICC has no credibility and these allegations have been refuted by the US government.”
He added, “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.
With inputs from agencies
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