Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vehemently condemned the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) prosecutor for seeking arrest warrants over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and 3 Hamas leaders- Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Deif.
Netanyahu rejected the comparison between “democratic Israel” and “mass murderers,” expressing disgust at the accusation. US President Joe Biden echoed Netanyahu’s sentiments, stating there was no equivalence between Israel and Hamas militants.
While Biden emphasized that Israel aims to protect civilians, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the ICC move “shameful,” asserting the ICC has no jurisdiction over the matter and warning it could jeopardize ceasefire efforts.
Netanyahu condemned the ICC’s action as an “absurd and false order” and a “distortion of reality,” accusing the prosecutor of fueling global antisemitism. Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz called it a “historical disgrace.”
France and Germany expressed support for the ICC but criticized the simultaneous charges against Israeli along with Hamas militants, arguing it created a false equivalence.
The accusations stem from the terror attack of October 7, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 252 civilian hostages.
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