ICC has no right to investigate Israel – Washington — RT World News

The International Criminal Court has no jurisdiction over Israeli officials, as the war in Gaza enters its seventh month, US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters on Tuesday.

His statement came after reports that the Hague-based court may issue arrest warrants against the Israeli leadership over the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza. Bloomberg wrote on Monday that G7 countries had privately told the ICC that Israel could back away from a potential ceasefire if investigators directly target its officials.

Patel told reporters that despite not recognizing the ICC's jurisdiction over its own citizens, the United States is cooperating with the court on some matters. “We are working closely with the ICC in a number of key areas. We believe they are doing important work in relation to Ukraine, Darfur and Sudan. He said. “But again, in this particular case, I'm sorry, they don't have jurisdiction.”

Officials in West Jerusalem are concerned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy could be targeted by the International Criminal Court, according to the Times of Israel.

In a video posted on Tuesday, Netanyahu criticized the potential arrest warrants as… “An anger of historic proportions.”

“Describing Israel’s leaders and soldiers as war criminals will add jet fuel to the fires of anti-Semitism.” He added that Israel does not recognize the court's jurisdiction. He accused the International Criminal Court of trying to do this “Cripple Israel’s ability to defend itself.” As is the case with the United States, Israel is not a party to the International Criminal Court.

Netanyahu stressed in his speech that the Israeli army will not stop until the Palestinian Hamas movement is neutralized “Gaza will never pose a threat to Israel again.”

In January, the International Court of Justice, a separate judicial body, ruled so “reasonable” The IDF's actions in Gaza amount to genocide. The court is currently considering the case brought against Israel by South Africa, and it will likely take years to decide on the merits of the case. Israeli President Isaac Herzog criticized the International Court of Justice's decision to initiate proceedings against his country “Atrocious and preposterous.”

The current round of fighting between Israel and Hamas broke out on October 7, when Palestinian militants attacked Israeli territory, killing more than 1,100 people and kidnapping more than 250 others.

More than 34,000 Palestinians were killed in Gaza during Israeli air strikes and ground invasion, according to local authorities. The United Nations has repeatedly sounded the alarm about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, whose residents are suffering from hunger and lack of supplies in addition to the horrors of war.