The International Criminal Court (ICC) responded to “threats” on Friday in the face of growing pressure following reports of potential arrest warrants. reports of potential arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas officials regarding their actions during the Oct. 7 attack and the Gaza conflict that followed.
Several pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers and the Biden administration have called on the ICC to refrain from such actions, arguing that it does not have jurisdiction over Israel. Axios reported on Thursday that senators from both parties met with ICC officials to express concerns about possible arrest warrants. The ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor stated on Friday that it aims to engage with all stakeholders and maintain independence and impartiality under the Rome Statute, but warned against threats directed towards the Court or its personnel.
“The Office seeks to engage constructively with all stakeholders whenever such dialogue is consistent with its mandate under the Rome Statute to act independently and impartially,” the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor said in a Friday statement posted on the social platform X. The statement does not name the source of the threats. The ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor stated in a Friday message posted on the social network X that it aims to engage constructively with all parties while upholding its mandate for independent and impartial action under the Rome Statute.
The office added that threats against the Court or its personnel could undermine independence and impartiality, and may also violate Article 70 of the Rome Statute.
The statement does not identify the source of the threats.
The ICC was established in 2002 under an international statute that grants it jurisdiction over crimes including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. Neither the U.S. nor Israel are among the 123 state members of the court.
The ICC, founded in 2002 under an international treaty, has authority over crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. Both the U.S. and Israel are not part of the 123 member states of the court.
Israel’s supporters in Washington have opposed potential arrest warrants, which The New York Times suggested may be related to Israeli officials blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza and responding harshly to Hamas's Oct. 7 attack.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made it clear on Monday that the U.S. does not support the ICC investigation and questions its jurisdiction.
According to Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Israel should not be investigated because it has a similar system of its own.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) argued that prosecuting Israeli officials could establish a precedent for the prosecution of American officials, as neither country is a signatory to the court.
Such actions by the ICC would directly undermine U.S. national security interests, as stated in a message by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.). This message does not indicate who made the threats.The statement does not mention the source of the threats.
