The United States rejects ICC arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu: “It has no jurisdiction”

The United States rejected this Thursday the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

“The United States fundamentally rejects the court’s decision to issue arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials”A White House spokesperson told the EFE news agency, explaining that Washington is coordinating with its allies, including Israel, on the “next steps” to take.

(Read also: This is how President Petro reacted after an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu)

The spokesperson noted that the United States is “deeply concerned” by the “hastiness” of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office, led by Karim Khan, in requesting the arrest warrants, as well as the “problematic procedural errors that have led to this decision.” .

“The United States has made clear that the ICC has no jurisdiction over this matter”the spokesperson stressed.

Netanyahu, accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity

The ICC requested this Thursday the arrest and surrender of both Netanyahu and Gallant and the military leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Mohammed Deif, although Israel already declared him dead in an attack in June against the Strip, something that has not been able to do so. be independently confirmed.

After the issuance of the arrest warrants, Netanyahu called the ICC accusation “absurd and false” and an “anti-Semitic” decision, and assured that “there is nothing more just than the war that Israel is waging in Gaza.”

(Read also: more on Netanyahu’s statements against the International Criminal Court)

Meanwhile, Hamas celebrated the measure. “International justice is with us against the Zionist entity,” he asserted.

The ICC does not have a police force to arrest suspects, but its 125 member states, including the United Kingdom and European Union countries, have an obligation to cooperate with the court. Neither the United States nor Israel are part of this court.