Staff Reports
President Joe Biden found himself in a sticky situation on Monday as he publicly denounced the International Criminal Court’s pursuit of Israeli officials over their actions in Gaza. Now, let’s break this down for you, dear reader. The ICC wanted to slap warrants on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and even three Hamas baddies. In a typical politician move, Biden expressed his outrage at the whole ordeal.
In a statement that probably took his PR team hours to craft, Biden made it crystal clear that he stands firmly with Israel and sees no comparison between them and Hamas. But here’s where it gets interesting – back in April 2021, Biden basically lifted the ban on the ICC targeting Israeli and American soldiers for so-called “war crimes.” That’s a major flip-flop from the previous administration’s stance under President Donald Trump.
in 2021 President Joe Biden revoked a 2020 executive order by President Donald Trump that placed sanctions on the ICC for attempting to investigate the U.S. or allies not party to the ICC's Rome Statue for actions taken against terrorists. https://t.co/LpNe2RwFCt via…
— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) May 20, 2024
This decision did not sit well with many, including the sharp minds over at Breitbart News, who pointed out Biden’s change in tune. They reminded everyone that Trump had smacked sanctions on the ICC for poking their noses where they didn’t belong, trying to sniff out American and allied soldiers. And what was Biden’s response to all this? Oh, just some talk about “engagement with stakeholders” and hoping for reforms at the ICC.
In the end, it’s certainly a case of politics at play here. Biden trying to juggle his support for Israel while also keeping the ICC off his back. It’s a fine line to walk, but hey, that’s politics for you. So, who knows what twists and turns lie ahead in this ICC vs. Israeli officials saga.
