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The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant. The ICC says both men – alongside a Hamas leader who was killed in July – bore “criminal responsibility” for crimes during the war between Israel and Hamas. The court accuses Israel of using starvation as a war tactic and for intentionally targeting civilians.
Europe and the US have been split in their response to the warrant. Most European countries including Britain have said they respect the ICC decision.
The US has backed Israel and called the warrant ‘outrageous.’ The United States’ closest neighbour, Canada, has said they would comply with the ICC’s arrest warrants and arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they step foot in Canada.
Italy and the Netherlands have also said they would comply with the orders, whilst the UK remained silent on whether they would arrest Netanyahu or Gallat.
What is clear is Israel is becoming more isolated on the world stage, and American leadership is being questioned.
Here’s how the world has reacted.
A ceasefire of sorts appears to be in sight
It is of little comfort for the Palestinian people – but it does seem that a ceasefire, of sorts, is within sight. What happens after that, not even Mr Trump knows, because there is no plan for “the day after” the fighting winds down. The rubblescape of Gaza and Lebanon has created not just unspeakable horrors and miseries, but a vast political vacuum.
‘ICC ruling no affect in Hungary’
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Friday he would invite Benjamin Netanyahu to visit his country and that he would guarantee that an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister would “not be observed.”
‘Reward for terrorism’
Netanyahu’s office described the warrants as “an antisemitic decision … equivalent to the modern Dreyfus trial”, referring to the 1894 trial of a French artillery captain of Jewish descent that has become one of the most prominent examples of antisemitism.
European leaders mixed reaction
Despite Hungary’s resistance, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and France have signalled that they would respect the court’s decision and potentially arrest Netanyahu if he travelled to one of their countries.
Biden says warrant ‘outrageous’
“Whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas,” Biden said in a statement, external. “We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.”
