Washington: US President Joe Biden denied on Monday that Israel’s war in Gaza amounted to genocide, while he sharply criticized an “outrageous” request by the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) prosecutor for an arrest warrant for Israeli leaders.
“What’s happening is not genocide,” Biden stated at a Jewish American Heritage Month event at the White House, addressing the conflict that erupted following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.
Biden’s comments were specifically in reference to a case at the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is reviewing allegations by South Africa that Israel’s actions in Gaza are genocidal. However, Biden also criticized the ICC, a separate war crimes court, for its prosecutor Karim Khan’s attempt to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Khan has also sought the arrest of top Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, the group’s leader in Gaza, and Ismail Haniyeh, its political chief.
“Whatever these warrants may imply, there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas,” Biden told the audience in the Rose Garden of the White House.
Biden reiterated his “ironclad” support for Israel, emphasizing that “we stand with Israel to take out Sinwar and the rest of the butchers of Hamas.”
The US president further vowed to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, promising action “come hell or high water.”
Earlier in the day, Biden had issued a written statement condemning the ICC warrants as “outrageous.”
‘Shameful’
Biden’s support for Israel comes despite recent strains over its military actions in Gaza. Washington recently withheld a shipment of bombs to Israel as a caution against an offensive in the southern city of Rafah.
As tensions persist, Biden’s declarations signal continued robust support for Israel, while he strongly opposes international legal actions against its leaders.
