As Israel's relationship with the United States – or with the Biden administration specifically – continues to deteriorate from brittle to disastrous, reports have emerged that the American superpower is behind moves encouraging the International Criminal Court, or ICC, to issue arrest warrants against Israel's leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to British author and journalist Douglas Murray – who has spent much of the last few months since Oct. 7 in Israel to cover the war – fellow Brit Karim Khan, an ICC prosecutor, is gearing up to bring a war-crimes case against Israel.
"Specifically, Khan wants to bring individual cases against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and a head of the Israeli army, most likely the chief of the general staff," Murray wrote in the New York Post.
This follows a claim that U.S.-Israeli journalist Caroline Glick posted on X on April 24.
"Israel's senior officials may imminently be subjected to arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court at the Hague. And according a "very senior officials" at the Hague who spoke with Amit Segal, Israel's top political reporter, the U.S. is behind it all.
"'There is no way the Chief prosecutor would decide on such a dramatic step, in a war still ongoing without first getting at least a 'green light' from the Americans,'" Segal reported they said. Khan was elected to his position in February 2021, with U.S. backing.
WND previously reported that Israeli officials were aghast at the prospect of the issuance of ICC arrest warrants – not least because the Jewish state does not recognize ICC jurisdiction with regard to its ongoing conflict with the Palestinians.
For its part, the Palestinian Authority, which at present retains control over parts of the Palestinian population in the West Bank, has already said it will accept ICC jurisdiction over alleged Israeli crimes.
The United States – in the form of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken – has voiced strong objections to the Palestinians joining the ICC.
On April 19, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., posted a warning on X saying that, "I am putting ICC officials on notice:
"If you side with Hamas and Iran (allies of Putin) and enter the political battlefield against Israel, you will be sanctioned.
"Get your dollars out of the U.S. now and say goodbye to ever visiting America again.”
Why does the United States seem to be playing both sides of the ball with regard to its "policy" about the ICC and Israel? At the same time as it is against the Palestinian Authority becoming ICC members, it seems to have given the green light to one of the court's prosecutors to bring charges against democratically elected officials in an important ally in the Middle East. Moreover, the war for which charges will likely be brought, is still ongoing.
It shouldn't matter how frustrated the Biden administration is with the Netanyahu government – not least because at least the plurality of Israelis feel the same. If the reports are true, then it is nothing short of unconscionable interference in a sovereign country's democratic process – and will likely not redound to Washington's benefit.
