The United States and Israel are not members of the International Criminal Court.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this week for crimes against humanity and war crimes. The court also issued a warrant for Hamas commander Ibrahim al-Masri, who is believed to be deceased.
A White House National Security Council spokesperson said that the U.S. is “deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision.” The official noted that the ICC does not have “jurisdiction over this matter” and said the U.S. will be discussing next steps with allies.
President Biden stated, “The ICC issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous. Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.“
U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas issued a reminder to the ICC that the U.S. has laws that protect U.S. and allied officials from international criminal prosecution, dubbed “The Hague Invasion Act.“
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For wisdom for the president and White House National Security Council officials as they assess the ICC’s warrants and U.S. obligations to its allies.
- For members of the House and Senate as they respond to the ICC and its warrants.
Sources: Townhall, Times of Israel, Reuters, The White House
