Hamas reacted with pleasure on Thursday to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against two Israeli politicians. Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan had previously issued them against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (both members of the Likud party). At the same time, the court issued an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who, according to Israeli sources, was killed by the army in the Gaza Strip.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) holds Israeli politicians responsible for the plight of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. It sees evidence of "war crimes and crimes against humanity." This is the first time the ICC has issued arrest warrants against leading politicians of a democratic country.
"Extend to all criminal leaders of the occupation"
“We welcome the issuance of arrest warrants against the terrorists Netanyahu and Gallant by the International Criminal Court for charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity,” the terrorist group declared, according to the American news site “Algemeiner.” “We call on the International Criminal Court to extend liability to all criminal leaders of the occupation.”
Hamas called on countries worldwide to support the decision "to stop the genocide against civilians in Gaza." A senior member of the terrorist group in Qatar, Isat al-Rishek, told the newspaper Yediot Aharonot: "Regardless of the possibility of implementation, the truth has been revealed that international justice is with us while it is against the Zionist entity."
The "State of Palestine" also praised the decision. It restores hope and confidence not only in international law, but also in the importance of justice and the prosecution of war criminals, the Palestinian Authority (PA) stated.
Borrell: EU states must respect the decision
Outgoing EU High Representative Josep Borrell denied that the decision was political. He insisted it should be respected and implemented, stating that it was a binding decision for all member states of the ICC, "which includes all members of the European Union. The tragedy in Gaza must end." A total of 124 states are members of the ICC.
The Netherlands was the first country to declare that it would comply with the arrest warrant. Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told parliament that the Netherlands, as a party to the Rome Statute, had to cooperate with the ICC and would do so.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) subsequently spoke with Veldkamp by telephone. His ministry later announced: "Minister Sa'ar, on behalf of the government and people of Israel, expressed his disappointment with the declaration made in the Dutch Parliament following the ICC ruling. The Minister also outlined Israel's position on this scandalous and politically motivated decision. During the conversation, it was agreed that the Dutch Foreign Minister's planned visit on Monday would not take place."
Ireland and Spain welcome the decision
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris (Fine Gael) called the ICC ruling "an extremely significant step." Spanish Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz (Movimiento Sumar), who is also second vice president, wrote on X: "The genocide against the Palestinian people cannot go unpunished." Support also came from Norway, which is not an EU member.
Switzerland also announced that it would abide by the court's ruling. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) criticized the decision. Nevertheless, he added, his country would implement it.
The German federal government initially refrained from taking a firm stance. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) stated on ARD's "Morgenmagazin": "We adhere to national, European, and international law." The government will carefully examine what this means "for implementation in Germany.".
Biden: No equality between Israel and Hamas
Criticism, however, came from the US. President Joe Biden (Democrat) declared on Thursday: “Let me say it once again: Whatever the ICC may imply, there is no equality – none at all – between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.” The decision was “outrageous.”.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that the United States would not execute the arrest warrants. Like Israel, the US is not a member of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Criticism from Argentina and Hungary
Argentine President Javier Milei (Partido Libertario) vehemently opposed the decision: It “ignores Israel’s legitimate right to defend itself against ongoing attacks by terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah”.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (Fidesz) expressed similar sentiments, calling the decision "shameful and absurd." He added that it "brings shame to international justice by equating the leaders of a country attacked in a heinous terrorist attack with the leaders of the responsible terrorist organization.".
A British government spokesman stated: "There is no moral equality between Israel, a democracy, on the one hand, and Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah, which are terrorist organizations, on the other."
Netanyahu's office: "Anti-Semitic decision"
The office of the Israeli Prime Minister, however, stated: “The anti-Semitic decision of the International Criminal Court is a modern-day Dreyfus Affair – and will end in the same way. Israel utterly rejects the false and absurd charges brought by the International Criminal Court, a one-sided and discriminatory institution.” The Dreyfus Affair was a judicial scandal in which, in 1894, the French officer Alfred Dreyfus was wrongly convicted of treason.
Netanyahu's office also referred to investigations Khan is facing, stating that the decision was made by a "corrupt chief prosecutor" trying to "escape accusations of sexual harassment" and by biased judges motivated by anti-Semitic hatred of Israel.
In May, Khan had requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders: Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Deif. Haniyeh died in a rocket attack in the Iranian capital, Tehran, at the end of July, and Sinwar was killed in an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip in October.
Reports that the army also killed Deif on July 13 have not yet been confirmed by the terrorist group. Therefore, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for him as well – at the same time as for the two Israeli politicians. (Israelnetz)
