Shocking pictures of beheaded babies, burnt bodies, and tents in an Israeli-designated safe area where thousands of distressed Palestinians in Gaza were forced to flee a few weeks ago have drawn condemnation from all parts of the globe.
The raid by Israeli fighter jets on a Rafah refugee camp killed more than 30, all civilians, and injured many others. This was one more war crime committed by Israel since it unleashed its military on the enclave to kill as many of the population as possible.
Most European countries are condemning Israel, days after the International Court of Justice ordered it to halt its Rafah offensive and avoid harming civilians, and following the ICC’s intent to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, on charges of war crimes and others.
There is one government the US in particular that has chosen to either ignore the carnage, or disguise its position on the genocidal war through empty rhetoric, denial, and obfuscation. That is the Biden administration, which has the power to stop the slaughter.
Neocons and pro-Israel US lawmakers have launched shameful attacks and intimidation against The ICJ and the ICC. Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said he wants to pass legislation to sanction ICC officials. He had slammed the court’s request for arrest warrants, writing in a statement that its “baseless and illegitimate decision should face global condemnation.” He added, “International bureaucrats cannot be allowed to use ‘lawfare’ to usurp the authority of democratic nations that maintain the rule of law.”
Johnson In a show of disdain for the ICC confirmed he was moving ahead with an invitation to Netanyahu to address Congress. US lawmakers have warned that if the UN recognizes Palestine as a state, Washington will defund the international body.
US President Joe Biden described the ICC’s move as outrageous. At the same time, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that he would like to work with Congress to take action against the ICC following its move on arrest warrants.
Madness regarding the highest world court, the ICJ, as well as the ICC, even considering a genocide case and other serious charges against Israel and its leaders has been evident for months. Last week, hawkish Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a fervent supporter of Israel, condemned the ICC and said it could “go to hell” for moving against Netanyahu.
Republican Tom Cotton, another pro-Israel senator, was one of several lawmakers who signed a letter warning ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, days before he made his historic decision. The letter said that if you target Israel, we will target you.
Israeli politicians, including the opposition, have taken similar hostile positions against the symbols of international law, especially the UN, ICJ, and ICC. When the truth about Israel’s war on Gaza began reaching the rest of the world, most Western governments started reversing their initial position of supporting Israel’s right to defend itself at any cost. France, Belgium, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Ireland, and others now condemn the atrocities and demand an immediate ceasefire.
The UK Conservative government has refused to stop arms sales to Israel and grudgingly demanded a ceasefire despite a significant shift in public opinion against Israel. Canada, too, has suspended arms sales to Israel, while Germany now says that it will arrest Netanyahu if a warrant is issued.
For the sake of American global leadership, Biden should look beyond his reelection bid and do the right thing, no matter what, and reining in a rogue Israel that is committing murder and putting the entire rules-based order on a tipping point.