Permanent representatives of the Arab League take part in an emergency meeting
Permanent representatives of the Arab League take part in an emergency meetingReuters

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit on Thursday welcomed the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Israel.

In a statement quoted by the Xinhua news agency, Aboul-Gheit said, "The decision goes in line with the principles of international justice." He added he considers the ICC investigation itself "new evidence to condemn the occupation and its crimes."

On Wednesday, ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced a probe into the alleged Israeli crimes, saying the investigation would be conducted "independently, impartially and objectively without fear or favor."

The probe would cover the period starting from mid-2014, according to Bensouda.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu denounced the decision and called it “absurd”, adding, “It's undiluted anti-Semitism and the height of hypocrisy.”

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the Biden administration opposes and is disappointed with the ICC decision.

Price told reporters the ICC has “no jurisdiction over this matter," which he said "unfairly" targets Israel.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken later denounced the ICC decision as well.

“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,” he said.