United States Senator Lindsey Graham has issued a stern warning, threatening to impose sanctions on allied nations such as Canada, Britain, Germany, and France if they choose to enforce the International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
The ICC issued these warrants in connection with alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
“To any ally, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, if you try to help the ICC, we’re going to sanction you,” Graham declared during an interview on Fox News late Friday.
“If you are going to help the ICC as a nation and force the arrest warrant against Bibi and Gallant, the former defence minister, I will put sanctions on you as a nation,” he stated.
“You’re gonna have to pick the rogue ICC versus America,” Graham added, underscoring his strong opposition to the ICC’s actions and warning allied nations of potential repercussions for supporting the court.
The ICC’s warrants relate to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, launched in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas in October. This conflict has led to significant loss of life, with reports indicating over 44,000 deaths, predominantly women and children, and more than 104,000 injuries in Gaza.
The military campaign has drawn widespread international condemnation, with Israel now facing genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
The conflict’s impact has extended beyond Gaza. Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah, have reportedly resulted in over 3,600 deaths, 15,300 injuries, and the displacement of over a million people since October, according to Lebanese health authorities.
The ongoing crisis has intensified global debates on accountability, justice, and the role of international institutions like the ICC in addressing allegations of war crimes.