Netanyahu Accuses ICC of ‘Pouring Gasoline on the Fires of Anti-Semitism’ in First US TV Interview Since Arrest Warrant
Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu accused the International Criminal Court of “pouring gasoline on the fires of anti-Semitism” by issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in an interview with Good Morning America‘s George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday.
The ABC News anchor began the interview by playing a clip in which ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, the man who is charging Netanyahu and Gallant with war crimes, argues that “the fact that Hamas fighters need water doesn’t justify denying water from all the civilian population of Gaza.”
Asked for his reaction, Netanyahu called the charges against him and Gallant “absurd” and “beyond outrageous.”
“We are supplying now nearly half of the water of Gaza. We supplied only 7% before the war, so this is completely opposite of what he’s saying. He’s saying that we’re starving people. You know, we have supplied half a million tons of food and medicine with 20,000 trucks,” said the prime minister.
He continued:
This guy is out to demonize Israel — he’s doing a good job. He’s creating a false symmetry between the democratically elected leaders of Israel and the terrorist chieftains. That’s like saying after 9/11, “Well, I’m issuing arrest warrants for up for George Bush, but also for Bin Laden. Or in World War II, “Well, I’m issuing the arrest warrants for FDR, but also for Hitler. It’s a hit job. It’s not serious. He’s out to defame Israel, and he’s also pouring gasoline on the fires of anti-Semitism that are spreading around the world, because he is attacking the one and only Jewish state and trying to handcuff us, preventing us from exercising responsibly through the laws of war as we obey them and we are subordinate to them. He’s saying we’re not. He’s creating false symmetry, false facts, and he doing a grave injustice to the international court.
Asked by Stephanopoulos if Israel has a “legal obligation to prevent people in Gaza from starving,” Netanyahu replied “we certainly have an obligation to enable trucks to go in” before touting Israel’s efforts in that regard and slamming Hamas for “looting” aid trucks.
Netanyahu said Israeli policy was “to allow maximum humanitarian aid to get people out of harm’s way” but that “Hamas is doing everything to keep them in harm’s way at gunpoint.”
Later in the interview Netanyahu offered his vision for Gaza after the war, which he stressed would only come after Hamas was destroyed.
“Get rid of Hamas, that’s our goal, number one. Number two, demilitarize Gaza. And the one sustained demilitarization, I think, requires that Israel have the overall responsibility to fight resurgent terrorists,” he explained. “Three, ensure that Gaza will seek a civilian administration by Gazans who are not affiliated with Hamas, and also don’t seek the destruction of Israel. And the last thing is rebuild Gaza in a peaceful way using the support of moderate Arab states and the international community. That’s a realistic plan, that’s the one I have, but it goes through victory. There is peace and stability and prosperity only through victory. The road to peace goes through victory over Hamas.”
Watch above via ABC.
