WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday opposed the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into Israel’s actions in Gaza, amid reports that Israeli officials fear the Hague-based court will soon issue arrest warrants.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House Press Secretary, said this during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC.
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly taken up the issue with US President Joe Biden in a call at the weekend.
“We’ve been really clear about the ICC investigation, that we don’t support it, we don’t believe that they have the jurisdiction,” Jean-Pierre said.
Citing the Israeli officials, The New York Times said Netanyahu himself could be among those charged. The court was also weighing charges against Hamas leaders, it added.
The White House Press Secretary would not confirm a report by news outlet Axios that Netanyahu had asked Biden in their call Sunday to prevent the court from issuing warrants for Israeli officials.
She added that the main focus of that call was obviously the hostage deal, the ceasefire agreement and the sending of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The spokeswoman also declined to comment on reports that the U.S. government has warned the ICC that the ruling could derail progress toward a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.
The ICC has not commented on the report. But a number of Israeli officials have said in recent days that any attempt by the court to take action against Israel would be “outrageous.”
“Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense,” PM Netanyahu said on X on Friday.
Foreign minister Israel Katz said his country would “not bow our heads or be deterred” by the legal threat.
“If the warrants are issued, they will harm the commanders and soldiers of the IDF (Israeli army) and provide a morale boost to the terrorist organization Hamas and the axis of radical Islam led by Iran against which we are fighting,” Katz said over the weekend.
Neither the US nor Israel is a member of the International Criminal Court.
But in 2021, the International Criminal Court opened an investigation into Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories.
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan said the investigation has been now been extended to hostilities since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
The International Criminal Court is the world’s only independent court established to investigate the most serious crimes committed by suspected criminals, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
It has already issued warrants for national leaders, most recently to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
Although the likelihood of actual arrest in such cases is low, the warrants can make it difficult for leaders to travel abroad.
