May 17, 2024

By refusing to honor the binding UNSC resolution, Israel has brought about the wrath of the world, including the International Criminal Court. The ICC is said to be planning to issue arrest orders against a number of Russian generals accused of war crimes in Ukraine and, at the same time, against Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, his defense minister, and his chief of army.

Israel, which depends on the United States for arms, financial support, and defense in international forums such as the U.N. Security Council, cannot ask for help from the Biden administration without understanding that it is obliged to follow the laws of war and avoid civilian casualties at all costs.

The Biden administration has gone to bat for Israel on numerous occasions, the latest of which was the vetoing of a resolution recognizing Palestine as a full member state of the U.N. Now Netanyahu wants President Biden to help him cancel the arrest orders from the ICC. The time for Israel to pay back its due to the Biden administration, and for the Biden administration to finally draw some red lines for the Netanyahu government, has come.