Call for Arresting Warrant for Netanyahu Disconcerts US
The top prosecutor at The Hague's International Court of Justice accuses both Hamas and Israel of committing war crimes. Joe Biden, the US president, is infuriated over these allegations, while Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, questions the credibility of the investigations. The German Foreign Ministry, on the other hand, expresses concern but does not directly criticize the court.
Joe Biden condemned the Chief Prosecutor's decision to target Israel alongside Hamas, asserting that the two should not be seen as equal entities. He pledged that Israel would continue to receive support amidst threats to its security. Blinken echoed Biden's stance, calling the comparison between Israel and Hamas an embarrassment.
"We refuse to equate Israel with Hamas," Blinken asserted. "Hamas is a vicious terrorist organization responsible for one of the worst atrocities against Jews since the Holocaust and is currently holding numerous innocent people hostage, including Americans." Blinken also emphasized that the US government believes the court, which is not recognized by the US, lacks jurisdiction in this case. Although Israel is not a member of the ICC, they have expressed their willingness to cooperate with the prosecution. However, he pointed out that there are several problematic procedural issues that cast doubt on the legitimacy and reliability of the inquiry.
ICTY's Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, previously sought an arrest warrant for possible crimes against humanity committed by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Joav Galant. Arrest warrants were also requested for the leader of Hamas in Gaza, his deputy, and the head of Hamas overseas.
Federal Foreign Office denounces inaccurate depiction of equivalence
The Federal Foreign Office criticized the overlap in seeking arrest warrants against Hamas officials and the Israeli government officials. But it held back from criticizing the International Criminal Court (ICTC) in general. According to the Foreign Office, the parallel application for arrest warrants has conveyed a false sense of equality.
"The Hamas leaders are responsible for massacring thousands of people, including men, women, and children, on October 7th," the ministry stated. "They also hold many innocent individuals captive and launch rockets at Israel. The war criminals of Hamas are using civilians as human shields. It is Israel's duty to protect its citizens."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded angrily to the request for an international arrest warrant. "I wholeheartedly reject the comparison made by the prosecutor in The Hague between democratic Israel and the perpetrators of mass murder in Hamas," Netanyahu remarked. "It is shameful to compare Hamas, which has murdered, burned, slaughtered, beheaded, raped, and abducted our brothers and sisters, with the soldiers who are fighting a just battle."
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- Despite the International Criminal Court's accusations of war crimes against both Hamas and Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the court has no jurisdiction in this case due to its lack of recognition by the US.
- In response to the request for an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu strongly rejected the comparison between democratic Israel and the perpetrators of mass murder in Hamas, calling it shameful and inaccurate.
- The German Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the allegations against both Hamas and Israel but did not directly criticize the International Criminal Court, stating that the parallel application for arrest warrants has conveyed a false sense of equality between the two parties.
Source: www.ntv.de
