Biden says Israel’s motion in Gaza ‘not genocide’ after arrest warrant request for Netanyahu

Joe Biden has mentioned “what is happening in Gaza is not genocide” following an arrest warrant request by the International Criminal Court prosecutor for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The US president branded the warrant request as “outrageous,” including “whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas.”

“What’s happening in Gaza is not genocide. We reject that,” Mr Biden mentioned at a Jewish American Heritage Month occasion on the White House.

He mentioned American assist for the protection and safety of Israelis is “ironclad”.

International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan KC has utilized for arrest warrants to be issued for Israel’s prime minister and Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar over alleged warfare crimes.

He can be looking for arrest warrants for Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant – and different prime Hamas leaders Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri, extra generally generally known as Deif (commander-in-chief of the navy wing of Hamas, generally known as the al Qassam Brigades), and Ismail Haniyeh (head of Hamas’s political bureau).

Mr Netanyahu mentioned: “As prime minister of Israel, I reject with disgust the Hague prosecutor’s comparability between democratic Israel and the mass murderers of Hamas.

“With what audacity do you compare Hamas that murdered, burned, butchered, decapitated, raped and kidnapped our brothers and sisters and the IDF soldiers fighting a just war.

“No stress and no determination in any worldwide discussion board will stop us from placing those that search to destroy us.”

In an announcement, Mr Khan outlined the explanations his workplace was making use of for the arrest warrants.

“Now, more than ever, we must collectively demonstrate that international humanitarian law, the foundational baseline for human conduct during conflict, applies to all individuals and applies equally across the situations addressed by my office and the court,” he mentioned.

“This is how we will prove, tangibly, that the lives of all human beings have equal value.”

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On the Hamas leaders, he mentioned he has cheap grounds to imagine they “bear criminal responsibility” for “war crimes and crimes against humanity”.

He outlined an inventory of alleged crimes, together with homicide, taking hostages and rape and different acts of sexual violence.

“We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Israel by Hamas and other armed groups pursuant to organisational policies. Some of these crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day,” he mentioned.

On Mr Netanyahu and his defence minister Mr Gallant, Mr Khan mentioned he has cheap grounds to imagine they too “bear criminal responsibility” for “war crimes and crimes against humanity”.

He outlined an inventory of alleged crimes, together with “starvation of civilians” and “intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population”.

“We submit that the crimes against humanity charged were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the Palestinian civilian population pursuant to state policy. These crimes, in our assessment, continue to this day,” he mentioned.

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Benny Gantz, a former navy chief and member of Israel’s warfare cupboard, harshly criticised Mr Khan’s announcement, saying Israel fights with “one of the strictest” ethical codes and has a sturdy judiciary able to investigating itself.

South Africa, which has been main a genocide case in opposition to Israel, welcomed the information Mr Khan was looking for the arrest of Israeli and Hamas leaders.

“The law must be applied equally to all in order to uphold the international rule of law,” the workplace of South African president Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned.

France and Belgium every launched statements supporting the request for arrest warrants.

“France supports the International Criminal Court, its independence, and the fight against impunity in all situations,” its international ministry mentioned in an announcement late Monday.

It got here across the identical time Belgium’s international minister Hadja Lahbib posted on X: “Crimes committed in Gaza must be prosecuted at the highest level, regardless of the perpetrators.”