Protesters interrupt Blinken in Senate

WASHINGTON — In wide-ranging testimony before the Senate on Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced the chief prosecutor of the world's top war crimes court for seeking the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He also said that despite offering condolences for the death of Iran's president, it did not change that leader's history of repression.

Speaking to senators about President Joe Biden administration's foreign affairs budget proposal, Blinken was repeatedly interrupted by protesters condemning US policy toward its ally Israel and its fighting against Hamas in Gaza.

The chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Appropriations committees halted the hearings at least six times while Blinken was delivering his opening statements, as demonstrators stood up to shout their opposition to the administration's position and accused him of being a "war criminal" and being responsible for a "genocide" against the Palestinian people.

Several silent protesters held up their hands, stained with red paint or dye, behind Blinken during his appearances.

In his remarks and response to questions from senators, Blinken followed Biden and other administration officials in condemning the International Criminal Court's prosecutor for seeking arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over actions taken during their seven-month conflict in Gaza.

Blinken repeated the position that the tribunal, which Israel and the United States do not recognize, does not have jurisdiction and that it was "extremely wrongheaded" for the prosecutor to equate the Israeli officials with the Hamas leaders that he is also seeking to indict.

Senate Republicans have threatened sanctions against ICC personnel over the decision, but the administration has not yet taken a stand. Blinken, however, said the administration would work with lawmakers to come up with an appropriate response, should one be needed.

Agencies via Xinhua