Reactions to Netanyahu, Gallant ICC arrest warrants pour in
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The ICC says there are "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant are criminally responsible for using starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally depriving Gaza’s civilians of essential resources.
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Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses lawmakers in the Knesset in occupied al-Quds on November 18, 2024. (AP)
International reactions have poured in following the ICC's issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of "crimes against humanity and war crimes."
The arrest warrants mark a significant escalation, as all 124 member states of the ICC are now obligated to detain Netanyahu and Gallant if they enter their territory.
The ICC stated there are "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant are criminally responsible for using starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally depriving Gaza’s civilians of essential resources like food, water, and medical supplies.
Khan called on signatories of the court's founding treaty "to live up to their commitment to the Rome Statute by respecting and complying with these judicial orders."
In a statement, he said, "We count on their cooperation in this situation, as with all other situations... We also welcome collaboration with non-state parties in working towards accountability and upholding international law."
Palestine, Middle East
Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas on Thursday welcomed the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant.
"We call on the International Criminal Court to expand the scope of accountability to all criminal occupation leaders," the group said in a statement.
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim said, "This is an important step on the path to justice and bringing justice to the victims but it remains a limited and spiritual step if it is not backed practically by all countries."
The Palestinian Authority, on its part, welcomed the decision and urged members of the court to implement it, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the ICC rulings should be respected and implemented, adding that "Palestinians deserve justice" after what he termed "Israel's" "war crimes" in Gaza.
US, Europe
To no one's surprise, the same country that vetoed a UNSC resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza said it rejected the ICC decision, according to a White House National Security Council spokesperson.
"The United States fundamentally rejects the Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials. We remain deeply concerned by the Prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision," the spokesperson said, adding the US is discussing the next steps with its partners.
The spokesperson further claimed that the ICC does not have judicial sovereignty over this matter, as repeatedly confirmed by Washington.
On his part, Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President-elect Trump, called the court "a dangerous joke," adding, "It is now time for the U.S. Senate to act and sanction this irresponsible body."
US Republican Representative Mike Waltz, president-elect Donald Trump's nominee for national security advisor in the next US government, has stated that "you can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC and UN come January," when Trump enters office.
In a social media post, Waltz stated that the ICC lacked credibility and that the US administration had denied the claims.
The ICC has no credibility and these allegations have been refuted by the U.S. government.
— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) November 21, 2024
Israel has lawfully defended its people & borders from genocidal terrorists. You can expect a strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC & UN come January. https://t.co/jIalwzooeS
The mayor of Dearborn, Abdullah Hammoud, expressed on social media that his city would arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they entered the city limits and urged other cities to follow suit.
Dearborn will arrest Netanyahu & Gallant if they step within Dearborn city limits.
— Abdullah H. Hammoud (@AHammoudMI) November 21, 2024
Others cities should declare the same. Our president may not take action, but city leaders can ensure Netanyahu & other war criminals are not welcome to travel freely across these United States. pic.twitter.com/eHS8oSMuqt
While the US has done everything in its power to undermine the ICC, going as far as proposing sanctions on the court, other nations and leaders have expressed their support for such measures.
France's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said the French reaction to the warrants would be "in line with ICC statutes" but declined to say whether France would arrest the leader if he came to the country. "It's a point that is legally complex," he said.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told parliament, "The Netherlands obviously respects the independence of the ICC," adding, "We won't engage in non-essential contacts and we will act on the arrest warrants. We fully comply with the Rome Statute of the ICC."
Following his statement, Veldkamp's trip to "Israel" was canceled, Dutch News Agency ANP reported, citing leaked plans of the trip as the reason.
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome would consider with allies how to interpret the decision and act together. "We support the ICC ... the court must play a legal role and not a political role," he added.
Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Italy would have to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he came to the country, adding, however, he "would be against any sanctions on Israel."
Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, "It is important that the ICC carries out its mandate in a judicious manner. I have confidence that the court will proceed with the case based on the highest fair trial standards."
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said Sweden and the EU "support the court's important work and protect its independence and integrity." Swedish law enforcement authorities decide on the arrest of subjects of ICC warrants on Swedish territory, she added.
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice said it is obliged to cooperate with the ICC under the Rome Statute and would therefore have to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they entered Switzerland and initiate extradition to the court.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg called the warrant incomprehensible and ludicrous, but Schallenberg's office also said as a party to the Rome statutes, Austria was obliged to implement ICC arrest warrants.
Ireland called the charges "serious" and an extremely important step, adding that the country respects the role of the ICC, and urging anyone to assist it to carry out its vital work.
"The decision ... is an extremely significant step," Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said in a statement. "These charges could not be more serious.
"Ireland respects the role of the International Criminal Court. Anyone in a position to assist it in carrying out its vital work must now do so with urgency."
Yolanda Díaz, Spain's labor minister and deputy prime minister, commented on BlueSky and X about the arrest warrants being issued, warning that the "genocide of the Palestinian people cannot go unpunished."
Spain's government has been among the most vocal critics of "Israel's" actions in Gaza.
Britain respects the independence of the International Criminal Court, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said on Thursday.
"We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court, which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern," the spokesperson told reporters.
"There is no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy, and Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, which are terrorist organizations. We remain focused on pushing for an immediate ceasefire to bring an end to the devastating violence in Gaza."
On his part, former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn commented on X, urging the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy to "immediately endorse this decision," calling into question the UK's international obligations to prevent genocide.
The ICC’s arrest warrants are long overdue.
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) November 21, 2024
The Prime Minister & Foreign Secretary must immediately endorse this decision. That is the bare minimum.
Will the UK government now, finally, honour its international obligations to prevent genocide and end all arms sales to Israel?
Amnesty International has urged the UK government to uphold the International Criminal Court's judgment. Its UK chief executive Sacha Deshmukh recalled how Lammy had vowed to comply with arrest warrants issued while he was in opposition.
"We now need to see David Lammy and the whole UK government unequivocally backing this vitally important move by the ICC," Deshmukh said, alluding to the double standards portrayed by the country when it comes to Russia.
According to Deshmukh, "The UK’s standing as a genuine supporter of the rule of law requires consistency and even-handedness. If war crimes are wrong when carried out by Russian forces in unlawfully occupied Ukraine, then they’re equally wrong when carried out by Israeli forces in unlawfully occupied Palestinian territory."
On his part, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell commented on the matter, saying the arrest warrants were "not political" and that the decision should be respected and implemented.
