Rep. Schiff Denounces ICC Prosecutor’s Announcement Over Arrest Warrants, Reaffirms Support for Israel
Washington, D.C.— Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) issued the following statement denouncing the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s request for arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials as well as Hamas terrorists, and reaffirmed his support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
“The ICC announcement today is not only misguided and repugnant, it is also a terrible overreach of the body’s authority. To make a false equivalence between the actions of a democratically-elected government and those of Hamas — a brutal terrorist organization — is absurd.
“Hamas launched its barbaric attack on innocent Israelis on October 7th, and the Israeli government has the right and duty to defend their nation and their citizens, while taking steps to protect civilian lives. Notwithstanding Israel’s willingness to conduct its own investigations and cooperate with the ICC, the ICC has chosen to act in this unprecedented manner.
“The ICC has no jurisdiction or standing in this matter, and this action will only serve to further jeopardize efforts to free the hostages, and to deliver a propaganda boost to Hamas. The United States government will not waiver in its opposition to terrorist rule of Gaza, and support for the existence of the world’s only Jewish state.”
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