President Biden criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor for seeking arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over alleged war crimes.

Biden condemned the move as outrageous and emphasized that there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas, affirming U.S. support for Israel’s security.

The ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, aims to charge Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders with war crimes and crimes against humanity following attacks last October that killed over 1,100 Israelis and Israel’s response resulting in over 35,000 Palestinian deaths, The Hill reported.

A panel of judges will decide on the warrants. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the U.S. does not believe the ICC has jurisdiction, criticizing the prosecutor for not allowing the Israeli legal system to address the issue first.

Biden maintains a balanced approach, supporting Israel’s right to defend itself while urging more aid for Gaza and better protection of civilians.

Written by B.C. Begley