Australian Opposition Calls ICC Arrest Warrants ‘Anti-Semitic’

US Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is looking at introducing sanctions on ICC officials.

The seat of the International Criminal Court in Den Haag, Netherlands, on March 8, 2024. Laure Boyer/Hans Lucas via AFP via Getty Images

Australian Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reverse its bid to seek arrest warrants against Israeli leaders.

Mr. Dutton labelled the act by the ICC as “anti-semitic” and doubled down on his criticism of Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for refusing to stand with Australia’s allies.

The ICC’s chief prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged “war crimes against humanity” in the Gaza strip.

Prosecutor Karim Khan has also filed arrest warrant applications against Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, and Ismail Haniyeh.

Opposition Leader Mr. Dutton said Mr. Albanese had gone into “hiding” on the matter.

“The Jewish community is completely and utterly bewildered, and I think Australians of good faith are bewildered as well that their prime minister doesn’t have the ability, or the wit to be able to stand up for what is in our country’s best interests,” Mr. Dutton said.

“And to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies, including the United States, to condemn an obvious anti-semitic act by the ICC. The ICC should reverse their decision, and the prime minister should come out today to call for that, instead of continuing to remain in hiding, or continuing to dig a deep hole for himself.”

In an earlier interview, Mr. Dutton indicated the Coalition may even consider walking away from membership of the ICC if it wins power.

Prime Minister Won’t Be Drawn on ‘Hypotheticals’

Later in the day, the prime minister responded saying he would not “go into hypotheticals” about things that have yet to happen.

“There’s been an application, there’s been no determination by the ICC against any individual or anybody at this point in time,” he told reporters.

The prime minister said he would not respond to “every incoming quote” from the opposition leader.

Earlier, Prime Minister Albanese declined to comment on U.S. President Joe Biden who described the ICC’s application as “outrageous.”

“I just answered the same question. Look, I don’t comment on court proceedings. What we need to concentrate on, when it comes to the Middle East, is what we have been saying from the time that on October 7, the terrorist atrocity committed by Hamas, we oppose that,” Mr. Albanese said.

Mr. Albanese defended the government for calling for the release of hostages, calling for a humanitarian ceasefire and calling for more humanitarian aid in Gaza.

“We have said that every life matters, whether it be Israeli or Palestinian. And we’ve called for progress towards a two state solution. That is where we are concentrating, playing a role where we can in promoting the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in security, in peace, and with prosperity,” Mr. Albanese said during a doorstop interview in Westmead.

Labor Minister Ed Husic, representing the western Sydney seat of Chifley, described Mr. Dutton’s criticism of the ICC as “staggering,” during an ABC radio interview.

Mr. Husic said people have been concerned following Hamas’ deadly actions, “about the way in which 35,000 Palestinians have been killed and the way that the campaign has been carried out by the Israeli government.”

He added that people are “being charged on the basis of individual action. There is no moral equivalence between the state of Israel and a terrorist organisation in Hamas.”

US Speaker Looking to Sanction ICC Officials

Meanwhile, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La) is looking at introducing legislation to Congress as soon as possible to impose sanctions on ICC officials.

He told reporters he is looking to bring forward the legislation as “quickly as possible” and is hopeful it will receive bipartisan support.

Mr. Johnson said he is “getting down to the fine points“ of the sanctions bill before bringing it to Congress.

“The ICC has chosen to target Israel with baseless and illegitimate arrest warrants and it is attempting to equate Israel’s war just for its existence with the horrific acts of the Oct. 7 massacre, to us this is just unconscionable” Mr. Johnson said.

He said if the ICC is allowed to threaten Israel’s leaders, “we know that America will be next.”

What Are the ICC’s Claims?

ICC’s chief prosecutor claims Hamas leaders have committed murder, taking hostages, rapes, torture, cruel treatment, and other inhumane acts as a crime against humanity.

Against Israel’s Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant, he has accused them of committing alleged acts of starving civilians, “willfully causing great suffering,” intentionally directing attacks against civilians, and other war crimes.

‘Grotesque’: Liberal Senator

Liberal Senator Dave Sharma, currently in Israel visiting the site of hostages and families of victims, has also come out against the ICC prosecutor.

“This decision lacks a basis in law and completely undermines the seriousness and credibility of the International Criminal Court,” Mr. Sharma said.

He said Hamas, a terrorist organisation, planned and executed one of the most horrific war crimes of this century, intentionally targeting civilians, taking hostages, and engaging in the most barbaric acts of cruelty.

“Israel’s democratically elected leaders have exercised their right to self defence, a right that any nation in similar circumstances would enjoy, and has sought to minimise civilian casualties as it seeks to defeat Hamas and recover its hostages.

“To equate the two is grotesque. It erases the moral distinction between aggressor and victim, and de facto abolishes the right to self defence.”