US President Joe Biden yesterday blasted the issuance of an arrest warrant against Israel’s prime minister as “outrageous” as divisions between Western leaders were exposed.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Britain said it would respect its “legal obligations”, but the sitting US president described the ICC decision as “outrageous”.

“Let me be clear once again: Whatever the ICC implies, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security,” Biden said in a statement.

A warrant was also issued for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, although Israel said he was killed in an airstrike in Gaza in July.

Mike Waltz, US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominated national security adviser, warned that there would be a “strong response to the anti-Semitic bias of the ICC and the UN in January”.

Israel also denounced the ICC decision, with Mr Netanyahu saying Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions”.

And Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited Mr. Netanyahu to visit Hungary, promising that “if he comes, the ICC decision will have no effect in Hungary.”

President Joe Biden (R) has labeled an arrest warrant issued against Benjamin Netanyahu (L) by the ICC “outrageous”

Donald Trump’s nominated national security adviser Mike Waltz (pictured) has warned there will be a “strong response to the anti-Semitic bias of the ICC and the UN in January”

But several other European countries – including the Netherlands, Finland, the Republic of Ireland, Italy and Spain – have said they will meet their ICC commitments.

Germany and France would not say what they would do if the Israeli leader entered their territory.

Britain said the UK would respect its “legal obligations”, but ministers refused to confirm explicitly whether Mr Netanyahu would be arrested if he set foot in the UK.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper sidestepped the question during a series of interviews broadcast yesterday, sparking criticism from a senior barrister.

Sir Geoffrey Nice KC, who prosecuted Slobodan Milosevic, told Times Radio it was “very unfortunate to hear the government leaders of this country trying to avoid the rule of law”.

The ICC decision sparked an angry reaction, with critics – including former Conservative home secretary Suella Braverman – saying it cast doubt on the court’s ruling.

She told the Mail: “This outrageous political decision by the court calls the ICC’s judgment into question.

Yesterday’s decision will leave a trail of shame in the court. To equate Hamas terrorists with Israel’s struggle for survival is a disgrace.’

While he said the government respected the ICC’s independence, Downing Street insisted Sir Keir Starmer would be happy to speak to Mr Netanyahu

But Downing Street backed the ICC on Thursday after it issued the arrest warrants, saying the government respected the court’s independence.

A domestic trial would be required before Mr Netanyahu could be arrested if he were to visit the UK.

Yesterday, No 10 said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer would be happy to speak to Mr Netanyahu despite the arrest warrant.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister will continue to speak with the Prime Minister of Israel, and indeed other allies, to conduct the essential business of reaching a ceasefire in the Middle East.”