US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday condemned the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation into Israeli “war crimes.”

“Today, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose term ends in June, confirmed the opening of an investigation into the Palestinian situation,” Blinken stated. “The United States firmly opposes and is deeply disappointed by this decision. The ICC has no jurisdiction over this matter. Israel is not a party to the ICC and has not consented to the Court’s jurisdiction, and we have serious concerns about the ICC’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel.

“The Palestinians do not qualify as a sovereign state and therefore, are not qualified to obtain membership as a state in, participate as a state in, or delegate jurisdiction to the ICC.”

The United States firmly opposes an @IntlCrimCourt investigation into the Palestinian Situation. We will continue to uphold our strong commitment to Israel and its security, including by opposing actions that seek to target Israel unfairly.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 4, 2021

Earlier on Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price also expressed criticism of the ICC decision, stating that “the ICC, which has no jurisdiction on this matter unfairly targets Israel.”

Israeli politicians and senior security officials also fiercely condemned the move.

“The decision of the International Court to open an investigation against Israel today for war crimes is absurd,” said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. ” It’s undiluted antisemitism and the height of hypocrisy.”

“The court set up to prevent the recurrence of the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis against the Jewish people is now turning against the state of the Jewish people,” Netanyahu said. “It’s targeting Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. But of course it turns a blind eye to Iran, Syria and the other dictatorships that are committing real war crimes left and right.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
"The decision of the International Court to open an investigation against Israel today for war crimes is absurd. It's undiluted antisemitism and the height of hypocrisy. pic.twitter.com/vGS7AX7SfN

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 3, 2021

“We will never stop fighting this injustice,” the prime minister asserted. “We will speak the truth in every forum, in every country, on every stage until this outrageous decision is reversed and becomes null and void.”

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The decision by the ICC chief prosecutor to open an investigation is an act of moral and legal bankruptcy.
It is a political decision that turns the court into a tool in the hands of extremists who back terrorist organizations and antisemitic bodies.

— גבי אשכנזי – Gabi Ashkenazi (@Gabi_Ashkenazi) March 3, 2021

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We will continue to fight the decision,
& take every necessary step to protect our citizens & soldiers from legal persecution.

We call on countries that want to protect the international legal system from politicization, to reject this decision & to not cooperate with it.

— גבי אשכנזי – Gabi Ashkenazi (@Gabi_Ashkenazi) March 3, 2021

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“The terror armies acting against us deliberately position themselves amongst the civilian population, and hide behind civilians and within the urban surroundings in order to attack Israeli civilians and carry out their operations.”

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 3, 2021

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“Commanders and soldiers, thanks to your actions, the IDF provides defense and security to the country and its citizens, and this we shall continue to do.”

—LTG Aviv Kohavi in a memorandum regarding the ICC prosecutor’s decision to launch an investigation today

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 3, 2021

The ICC has allowed itself to be hijacked by sponsors of terror. This is a shameful day for the cause of justice. A government led by me will work with our allies and friends around the world to defend our moral army, and brave soldiers who risk their lives to keep us safe.

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) March 3, 2021

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)