House Speaker Mike Johnson calls for the U.S. to take punitive action against the International Criminal Court (ICC) following its request for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials. The warrants relate to alleged war crimes committed during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In a forceful statement, Speaker Johnson declared, “The U.S. should punish the ICC and put Karim Khan back in his place.” His comments come in response to ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s application for arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders, citing their conduct in Gaza.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also criticized the ICC’s move, describing it as a “shameful equivalence” between the actions of Israel and Hamas. Blinken emphasizes that the Biden administration is pushing back against what it views as an unjust and politically motivated decision by the ICC.
There are hints from U.S. officials about possible sanctions against the ICC. Such measures would be aimed at countering the court’s decision to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his allies, which U.S. leaders deem unjustified.
In a recent interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Prime Minister Netanyahu vehemently denies the allegations of using starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinians in Gaza. He describes the ICC’s application for his arrest as a “pack of lies” and “absurd.”
The ICC prosecutors accuse both Israeli and Hamas leaders of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. The accusations against Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and other Israeli officials include targeting Gaza’s civilian population, extermination, and using starvation as a weapon of war. Similarly, Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Deif, are accused of extermination, hostage-taking, torture, and sexual violence.
President Biden has labeled the ICC’s actions as “outrageous,” and Hamas has demanded the cancellation of all arrest warrants against its leaders, arguing that it is their right under international law to resist Israeli aggression.
The allegations stem from events on October 7th, when Hamas gunmen launched an attack on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 252 hostages taken to Gaza. This attack led to the current war, in which at least 35,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Judges at the International Criminal Court are now tasked with deciding whether there is sufficient evidence to issue the arrest warrants. The outcome will significantly influence international relations and the ongoing conflict.
