The White House and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) have come out against reports that the International Criminal Court is considering issuing arrest warrants for top Israeli officials, a rare moment of unity between both sides.
Johnson called on President Joe Biden to compel the ICC to stand down from reported plans to issue a warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pressing the president to use “every available tool to prevent such an abomination.” The statement comes after weeks of concern from Israeli officials that such warrants were forthcoming for Netanyahu as well as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Herzi Halevi.
“Such a lawless action by the ICC would directly undermine U.S. national security interests,” Johnson said in a statement on Monday. “If unchallenged by the Biden administration, the ICC could create and assume unprecedented power to issue arrest warrants against American political leaders, American diplomats, and American military personnel, thereby endangering our country’s sovereign authority.”
The Biden administration has also come out against any plans to arrest Israeli leaders, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stating during the White House press briefing on Monday that the Biden administration does not believe the ICC has the jurisdiction to issue warrants and does not support the ICC’s investigation.
It’s not entirely clear whether the ICC plans to issue arrest warrants, although the organization has been under pressure from several member states not to do so.
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The rare moment of solidarity comes as Biden and Johnson have recently stood together to support Israel, with Congress passing a $26.38 billion aid package earlier this month, which includes funds to replenish the country’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems as well as $3.5 billion to go toward securing advanced weapons systems and other defense services.
The package garnered overwhelming support in both the House and Senate and was signed by Biden last week.