International Criminal Court: Biden criticizes request for arrest warrant towards Netanyahu and Galant | EUROtoday

US President Joe Biden has criticized the request of the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for an arrest warrant towards main Israeli politicians. The motion was “outrageous,” mentioned Biden. “Whatever this accuser may suggest, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas,” the US president mentioned. “We will always stand by Israel against threats to its security.”

Der Chiefankläger des International Criminal Court In The Hague, Karim Khan had beforehand requested an arrest warrant for alleged crimes towards humanity towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Joav Galant. Arrest warrants have been additionally requested for the chief of the Islamist Hamas within the Gaza Strip, his deputy and towards Hamas's overseas chief.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken additionally made related feedback to Biden. That Arrest warrants for senior Israeli officers together with arrest warrants for Hamas terrorists was “shameful,” Blinken mentioned. “We reject the accusation’s identification of Israel with Hamas,” Blinken continued. “Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that carried out the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and still holds dozens of innocent people hostage, including Americans.” Blinken additionally made it clear that the US authorities believes the court docket doesn’t have jurisdiction within the case. Like Israel, the USA is just not a member of the court docket.

Politicians from different nations allied with Israel additionally expressed criticism of the ICC's actions. Austria's head of presidency Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) wrote on state, is meaningless”.

Israeli authorities could investigate themselves

The German FDP foreign politician Michael Link also criticized the simultaneous request for an arrest warrant against politicians from both sides: “The simultaneous arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu and numerous leaders of the terrorist group Hamas is extremely problematic. It places terrorists and a democratically elected head of presidency collectively immediately,” Link said.

The overseas coverage spokesman for the SPD, Nils Schmid, then again, really helpful that the Israeli authorities start its personal investigation into alleged violations of worldwide legislation within the warfare in Gaza. “The Israeli authorities can now start their own investigations – because the ICC investigations are secondary to a national investigation,” mentioned Schmid. He trusts the Israeli constitutional state. The Israeli authorities ought to examine indications of doable warfare crimes.

Schmidt referred to as on the federal authorities to just accept the actions of the International Criminal Court. “German foreign policy is committed to international law and its institutions and should respect the work of the ICC on this issue too,” mentioned the SPD politician. “It is important that the chief prosecutor did not equate Hamas' crimes with Israeli actions.” Because he expressly acknowledges Israel's proper to self-defense, however sees doable violations of proportionality. “Sure, the prosecutor could have submitted the requests for an arrest warrant in two different statements,” mentioned Schmid about the truth that the prosecutor utilized for arrest warrants towards the Israeli prime minister and the protection minister, but in addition three towards Hamas leaders. “Legally, however, they remain two different processes.”