While Turkey and rights organisations applauded the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel and its supporters condemned the action.
The court also issued warrants for Israel’s former Defence Minister as well as Hamas’s military chief Mohammed Deif.
Anyone against whom the ICC issues an arrest warrant cannot visit the countries without risking extradition.
They were issued in response to accusations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, set off by the militant Palestinian group’s October 7, 2023 attack.
The anti-Semitic decision of the International Criminal Court is comparable to the modern-day Dreyfus trial — and it will end in the same way,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a statement.
“It is absurd that the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement.
Argentina “declared its deep disagreement” with the decision, which “ignores Israel’s legitimate right to self-defence against the constant attacks by terrorist organisations like Hamas and Hezbollah,” President Javier Milei posted on social media platform X.
Regarding the warrants against Israeli lawmakers, Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, stated, “(It’s) an important step towards justice and can lead to redress for the victims in general, but it remains limited and symbolic if it is not supported by all countries around the world.”
