In what many are calling an unprecedented move, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and a senior Hamas official have also received arrest warrants, and all three are accused of war crimes during and after the terror attack in Israel on October 7th. Responding to the arrest warrants, Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D) accused the ICC of "turning a blind eye" on Israel.
The arrest warrants come the same week that the senate rejected legislation that would have halted the sale of U.S. weapons to Israel. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (I) introduced the legislation out of concern regarding the human rights catastrophe faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
In a statement, the ICC shared that it had uncovered "reasonable groups" to believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu is guilty of criminal responsibility for war crimes, which include "starvation as a method of warfare" and "the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts."
With the arrest warrant, Prime Minister Netanyahu is the first Israeli leader that is summoned by an international court for alleged actions against Palestinians in their 76-year conflict.
The ICC turned a blind eye to many atrocities, including Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons to kill hundreds of thousands of Syrians. But when it comes to Israel defending itself against Hamas, the ICC doesn’t hesitate to exercise this antisemitic double standard. https://t.co/xWEeL0nXhs
— Congressman Jared Moskowitz (@RepMoskowitz) November 21, 2024
In response, Prime Minister Netanyahu's office dismissed the warrant, calling it "absurd and antisemitic." "Israel utterly rejects the absurd and false actions and accusations against it by the International Criminal Court, which is a politically biased and discriminatory body," Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said.
Rep. Moskowitz took to social media to share similar comments, accusing the ICC of "turning a blind eye" to Israel.
"The ICC turned a blind eye to many atrocities, including Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons to kill hundreds of thousands of Syrians. But when it comes to Israel defending itself against Hamas, the ICC doesn’t hesitate to exercise this antisemitic double standard.
