Jerusalem [Israel], November 28: The Israeli government has categorically rejected the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) authority and legitimacy over the arrest warrants issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
In a series of posts shared on X (formerly Twitter), the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced the government’s stance on the matter. The ICC recently accused Netanyahu and Gallant of “crimes against humanity and war crimes,” citing allegations of targeting civilians and enforcing starvation policies in Gaza.
The Israeli PM’s official X account stated, “Israel denies both the authority of the International Criminal Court and the legitimacy of the arrest warrants that have been issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.”
In addition, the Prime Minister’s Office revealed Netanyahu’s meeting with US Senator Lindsey Graham in Jerusalem earlier today. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, with US Senator Lindsey Graham, who updated him on the efforts that he is advancing in the US Congress against the ICC and countries that have cooperated with it,” the post read.
Israel has also submitted an appeal to the ICC, requesting a delay in the implementation of the arrest warrants. “Parallel to the efforts in Congress, Israel submitted an announcement to the ICC today regarding its intention to appeal to the court along with a demand to delay implementation of the arrest warrants,” the statement said.
The appeal argued that the decision to issue the warrants was “baseless and without any factual or legal foundation whatsoever.” It further added, “Should the ICC reject the appeal, this will underscore to Israel’s friends in the US and around the world how biased the ICC is against the State of Israel.”
The US government has also expressed its concerns over the ICC’s decision. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, during a press briefing, criticized the court’s actions, stating, “We fundamentally reject the court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials.”
Jean-Pierre highlighted issues with the ICC’s process, saying, “We fundamentally reject that the ICC has jurisdiction over the situation, and so that’s something that we’ve been pretty clear about and we’ll continue to.”
The Biden administration continues to support Israel amid mounting international scrutiny over the allegations. Senator Graham, during his meeting with Netanyahu, reportedly discussed advancing legislative efforts in the US Congress to counter the ICC and its cooperating nations.
The ICC’s charges against Israeli leaders have sparked significant international debate, with Israel and its allies viewing the court’s actions as unjust and biased.