Staff Reports
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has announced that arrest warrants are being sought for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. President Joe Biden released a statement calling it “outrageous” and stating “there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) applauded the ICC’s decision, equating Israeli and Hamas leaders when praising the court.
Democrat Members of Congress Are Actually Praising the ICC for Coming After Netanyahu https://t.co/rSU7oaSgAj
— JB (@JBRawhide) May 21, 2024
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) also expressed support for the ICC’s actions and called for the protection of its independent work. However, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has called for sanctioning the ICC, citing bias and lack of jurisdiction over Israel. There are concerns about the ICC’s jurisdiction and bias, as its statement references “the territory of Israel and the State of Palestine.”
The Biden administration has faced criticism for not using America’s strength on the world stage to deter the “outrageous” action by the ICC. It has been emphasized that there is no legitimate case to be brought against Israel by the ICC based on its founding treaty, the Rome Statute. The principle of complementarity at the heart of the Rome Statute means the ICC prosecutes cases only when states do not, are unwilling, or unable to do so genuinely. Israel has an independent judicial system that precludes the ICC from bringing a case.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) are outraged by the ICC’s actions and have urged President Biden to take swift and forceful action in response to the attack on Israel. They have called on further action and highlighted the dangers of the ICC’s decision on current hostage negotiations. The Biden administration’s response has raised concerns about Democrats’ support for Israel.
