US backs Israel as ICC considers war crime arrest warrants

The US has said it opposes the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: ‘Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defence.’ Picture: AFP

The US has said it opposes the International Criminal Court’s investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza after reports the court was poised to issue arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials.

Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, is understood to have asked President Joe Biden to block the inquiry. The court, which is based in The Hague, is believed to be considering warrants for the arrest of Mr Netanyahu; Yoav Gallant, his Defence Minister; and Herzi Halevi, the Israel Defence Forces chief of staff.

Despite public dissent at Mr Netanyahu’s handling of the conflict over recent weeks, the Biden administration offered a public show of support for him on Monday (Tuesday AEST). “We’ve been really clear about the ICC investigation,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said. “We do not support it. We don’t believe that they have the jurisdiction.”

Neither Israel nor the US are among the court’s 124 member states.

“Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defence,” Mr Netanyahu wrote on social media. “While the ICC will not affect Israel’s actions, it would set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and officials of all democracies fighting savage terrorism and wanton aggression.”

Behind the scenes, however, the Prime Minister is reported to be increasingly concerned that the court could hold him personally accountable for the spiralling death toll in Gaza and for mounting allegations of war crimes by Israeli troops. Almost 35,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October, according to the latest figures from the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu voiced his concern about the investigation during a phone call with Mr Biden on Sunday, in which the two leaders discussed the latest hostage negotiations with Hamas and efforts to broker a ceasefire. Israeli officials told the Axios news site that the Prime Minister asked Mr Biden personally to help prevent the court from issuing warrants against him and other senior officials.

US officials have indicated that they remain uncertain if warrants are imminent, but have revealed that the prosecutor’s office is under pressure to take action against Israel from several member states and activist groups, Axios reported.

The court issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin of Russia last year over his alleged involvement in the abduction of Ukrainian children. Russia is also not a member state of the court.

The US has already defended Israel over the case brought before the International Court of Justice, a separate body in The Hague, alleging that Israeli forces are committing genocide in Gaza. Israel has denounced the case, brought by South Africa, as “baseless”.

The Times