Tlaib calls for court to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli officials

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials after Israel’s military seized control of the Rafah crossing on Tuesday.

Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, said with the ongoing incursion into the southern city of Rafah, there is “nowhere” safe for Palestinians in Gaza, and argued that Netanyahu will remain in his post as long as the conflict continues. 

“I urge the ICC to swiftly issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials to finally hold them accountable for this genocide, as is obviously warranted by these well-documented violations of the Genocide Convention under international law,” Tlaib said in a statement Tuesday. 

The Michigan progressive, who has been a vocal critic of Israel in Congress, also renewed calls for a cease-fire and to halt all military funding to Israel. 

“It is now more apparent than ever that we must end all U.S. military funding for the Israeli apartheid regime, and demand that President Biden facilitate an immediate, permanent ceasefire that includes a complete withdraw of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians,” she said Tuesday. 

The court has reportedly considered warrants for Netanyahu and other members of his Cabinet. The court was allegedly considering arrest warrants for weeks over increasing accusations of war crimes being committed in the Israel-Hamas war.

In response, some Republicans in the Senate have threatened to impose sanctions on the ICC if it moved forward with the arrest warrants. Lawmakers said the U.S. could fall back on the American Service-Members’ Protection Act, a 2002 law that shields the country from cooperating with the court. 

The U.S. and Israel are not members of the ICC. Palestinian territories were given membership in 2015.

As of Tuesday, Israeli military tanks have come into Rafah, which, along with Kerem Shalom, is one of two critical points of entry for humanitarian aid designated for Palestinians as parts of Gaza are heading for a famine, according to an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report.

“Many of my colleagues are going to express concern and horror at the crimes against humanity that are about to unfold, even though they just voted to send Netanyahu billions more in weapons,” Tlaib said. “Do not be misled, they gave their consent for these atrocities, and our country is actively participating in genocide. For months, Netanyahu made his intent to invade Rafah clear, yet the majority of my colleagues and President Biden sent more weapons to enable the massacre.”