Netanyahu Urges Biden to Intervene as ICC Weighs War Crimes Charges Against Israeli Leaders
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested US President Joe Biden to intervene and prevent the International Criminal Court (ICC) from pursuing war crime charges against him and other top Israeli officials.
The ICC is reportedly considering investigating war crimes committed during Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which followed Hamas militants' deadly incursion in October 2020, resulting in an estimated 1,200 Israeli civilian deaths.
The Israeli Defense Forces' actions in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza have faced criticism from US and European allies due to the high number of civilian casualties.
Over 34,000 people have reportedly been killed, according to Gaza authorities.
In January, the United Nations' International Court of Justice ruled that it was plausible that Israeli forces had committed acts of genocide in Gaza.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly phoned US President Biden, asking him to use American influence to prevent the International Criminal Court from issuing arrest warrants.
An unnamed Israeli official told NBC News that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and senior military officers, including the prime minister, could be charged by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes.
The ICC is investigating the situation in Palestine, but did not confirm or deny the report.
Israel is reportedly trying to prevent the warrants from being issued through diplomatic channels.