US Sen. Lindsey Graham slams ICC for arrest warrants against Israeli officials
US Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, sharply criticized the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday for issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials, calling the warrants “beyond outrageous.”
Graham announced during a Tuesday news conference in Jerusalem that he will introduce legislation in Congress to sanction any country that tries to enforce the arrest warrants against Israel.
“You could be a close ally – Canada, Britain, France, you name it – if you buy into this arrest warrant is legitimate, then you will meet stiff bipartisan resistance in America,” Graham said. “So, to the world – if you empower this folly at the ICC, then you will have a hard time doing business in America.”
The ICC’s actions serve to “isolate the Jewish state” and prevent Israel from defending itself, Graham said. He also argued the international court doesn’t have jurisdiction over Israel or the United States.
Last Thursday, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and a senior Hamas official, accusing them of war crimes during and after the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
Graham added that he met with the Israeli government and talked with President-elect Donald Trump to work toward a ceasefire deal in Gaza and a hostage release deal.
“The answer to this problem is to transform the Palestinian society so it’s de-radicalized and demilitarized,” the Republican senator said.
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