President Joe Biden pledges to distance his policies from those of his predecessor
Date
11/25/2024 3:24:39 AM
(MENAFN) Four years ago, President Joe Biden pledged to distance his policies from those of his predecessor, Donald Trump, particularly in terms of honoring international laws and norms that the U.S. helped shape after World War II in 1945. On his first day in office, Biden rejoined the Paris climate agreement, which trump had withdrawn from, and lifted sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its former president, Fatou Bensouda.
However, as the Israeli military escalated its aggression in Gaza, Biden’s administration shifted its position, providing steadfast support to Israel despite its forces violating both U.S. and international law. This shift became more pronounced when the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, on charges of war crimes in Gaza. The Biden administration rejected the ICC's ruling, reiterating its non-recognition of the court. This contrasts with Biden’s previous support for the ICC’s actions, particularly its attempts to prosecute Russian President Vladimir Putin after his invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Biden's refusal to support the ICC’s warrants for Netanyahu and Galant has sparked concerns about his commitment to upholding international law, especially given his administration’s past endorsement of the court's work in other cases. Meanwhile, Republican senators, such as Lindsey Graham and Tom Cotton, are pushing for sanctions on the ICC and its supporters, alleging the court undermines U.S. security. Professor Craig Martin of Kansas State University has criticized these efforts, urging Biden not to undermine the legitimacy of the ICC, an institution the U.S. played a pivotal role in creating. Tarita Parsi of the Quincy Institute also noted that Biden’s approach exposes a contradiction in his foreign policy, sacrificing U.S. credibility to shield foreign leaders accused of war crimes.
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