Johnson Urges Biden to Block ICC’s Targeting of Israeli Leaders over Alleged War Crimes

Here’s what you need to know about the International Criminal Court (ICC). Speaker Mike Johnson from Louisiana is urging President Biden to prevent the ICC from issuing arrest warrants for top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. If true, these warrants would be baseless and illegitimate, according to Johnson, who warned that they could endanger US national security by granting unprecedented power to issue such orders against American political leaders, diplomats, and military personnel. Instead of targeting Israel for alleged war crimes, the ICC should focus its attention on prosecuting Iran and Hamas, as these groups have been engaged in horrific acts that constitute serious violations of international law. Johnson’s statement comes after Israeli officials expressed concerns about potential arrest warrants being prepared by the ICC over their response to a terrorist attack carried out by Hamas last year. Israel is not an official member of the court, but Palestinian territories are. Netanyahu has vowed that his country will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its right to self-defense and warned against setting dangerous precedents for democracies fighting terrorism and aggression in other parts of the world. However, during a press briefing on Monday, State Department deputy spokesman Vidant Patel declined to confirm or deny whether the US was aware of any such plans by the ICC.