White House rejects ICC arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant

The White House this Thursday showed its rejection of the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants against the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes. and against humanity perpetrated within the framework of the offensive launched more than a year ago on the Gaza Strip.

“We completely reject the court’s decision to issue arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre stressed in a press conference, adding that they remain “deeply concerned” at the prosecutor’s haste. , as well as for the “disturbing errors in the process.”

In this sense, Jean-Pierre has once again recalled that the ICC “has no jurisdiction” over the military offensive launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip. “We are consulting with our partners, including Israel, about our next steps,” he stressed.

Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute and therefore is not part of the ICC nor recognizes its jurisdiction, but Palestine has been admitted as a member since 2015. For its part, the United States is not a member of the court.

The court in The Hague, which has rejected the appeals presented by Israel and has ruled that it has jurisdiction in the case, believes that there is evidence that both Netanyahu and Gallant knowingly sought to leave the Gazan population without elements “indispensable for their survival.” and blocking the entry of aid, also hindering the work of humanitarian organizations.

The judges believe that Netanyahu and Gallant may be “criminally responsible” for using starvation as a method of warfare, as well as murders, other inhumane acts and persecution that would fall under the category of crimes against humanity. He also reproaches them that indiscriminate attacks against the civilian population may have been committed under their command.

The court has also ordered the arrest of the head of the military wing of Hamas, Mohamed Diab al Masri, known as ‘Abú Deif’, after other leaders of the Islamist group previously identified, Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniye, have lost their lives in the last months in Israeli operations. Israel has presumed him dead, although the group has not officially confirmed this.