Speaker Johnson slams ICC for reportedly considering arrest warrant for Netanyahu: 'Disgraceful'

"The Biden Administration must immediately and unequivocally demand that the ICC stand down and the U.S. should use every available tool to prevent such an abomination," Johnson says

By Nicholas Ballasy

Published: April 29, 2024 3:01pm

Updated: April 29, 2024 3:03pm

House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed the International Criminal Court on Monday for reportedly considering arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Israeli government officials.

“It is disgraceful that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is reportedly planning to issue baseless and illegitimate arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials," Johnson said in a formal statement.

“Such a lawless action by the ICC would directly undermine U.S. national security interests. If unchallenged by the Biden administration, the ICC could create and assume unprecedented power to issue arrest warrants against American political leaders, American diplomats, and American military personnel, thereby endangering our country's sovereign authority," he added.

Johnson suggested the ICC "pursue charges against Iran and its terror proxies, including Hamas, for engaging in horrific war crimes" instead of "wrongly targeting Israel."

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir last year over his invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022. Last month, the ICC has targeted other top Russian officials with arrest warrants.