US President Joe Biden yesterday described the issuance of an arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister as “outrageous” as divisions among Western leaders came to light.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant to detain Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Britain has said it will meet its “legal obligations”, but the outgoing US president called the ICC’s decision “outrageous”.
“Let me be clear again: whatever the ICC may imply, there is no equality – none – between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security,” Biden said in a statement.
An arrest warrant was also issued for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, although Israel has said he was killed in an airstrike in Gaza in July.
US President Donald Trump’s nominee for national security adviser, Mike Waltz, warned that there would be a “strong response to the anti-Semitic bias of the ICC and the UN” in January.
Israel has also denounced the ICC’s decision, with Mr Netanyahu saying Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions”.
And Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán invited Netanyahu to visit Hungary, promising that “if he comes, the ICC ruling will have no effect in Hungary.”
President Joe Biden (right) labeled an arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Benjamin Netanyahu (left) as ‘outrageous’
Donald Trump-nominated National Security Advisor Mike Waltz (pictured) warned that there would be a ‘strong response to the anti-Semitic bias of the ICC and the UN’ in January
But several other European countries – including the Netherlands, Finland, the Republic of Ireland, Italy and Spain – have said they will honor their ICC obligations.
Germany and France declined to say what they would do if the Israeli leader entered their territory.
Britain has said Britain will meet its “legal obligations”, but ministers have refused to explicitly confirm whether Netanyahu would be arrested if he sets foot in Britain.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper dodged the question during a series of broadcast interviews yesterday, prompting criticism from a leading lawyer.
Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, who prosecuted Slobodan Milosevic, told Times Radio it was “very unfortunate to hear that leaders of this country were trying to circumvent the rule of law.”
The ICC’s decision sparked strong reactions, with critics – including former Tory Home Secretary Suella Braverman – saying it cast doubt on the court’s ruling.
She told the Mail: ‘This outrageous political decision by the court raises serious doubts about the ICC’s judgment.
Yesterday’s decision will leave a mark of shame on the court. It is shameful to equate Hamas terrorists with Israel’s struggle for survival.”
While saying the government respected the ICC’s independence, Downing Street stressed that Sir Keir Starmer would like to speak to Mr Netanyahu.
But Downing Street backed the ICC on Thursday after it issued the arrest warrants, saying the government respected the court’s independence.
A domestic trial would be needed before Mr Netanyahu would be arrested if he visited Britain.
Yesterday, Number 10 said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer would like to speak to Mr Netanyahu despite the arrest warrant.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister will continue to engage with the Prime Minister of Israel as well as other allies to carry out the vital task of reaching a ceasefire in the Middle East.”