May 21, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Blinken called "war criminal" by protesters during hearing

Sareen Habeshian

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on May 14 in Ukraine. Photo: Vitalii Nosach /Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Secretary of State Tony Blinken was called a "war criminal" during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday.

State of play: A small group of protesters stood up when Blinken entered the room. The protesters had what appeared to be red paint on their hands. "The blood of 40,000 Palestinians is on his hands," they shouted.

The protesters, who were escorted out, could be heard calling him the "secretary of genocide" and "bloody butcher Blinken."
Blinken did not address the demonstrators and waited until they left the room to continue speaking. His office did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Zoom out: Blinken signaled during the hearing that the Biden administration is willing to support sanctions against the ICC prosecutor who is seeking arrest warrants against Israeli leaders.

He denounced the prosecutor's decision and said it harms efforts to get an Israel-Hamas hostage deal that includes a ceasefire in Gaza.

Go deeper: Israel has not shown U.S. plan for protecting civilians in Gaza: Blinken

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Blinken called "war criminal" by protesters during hearing

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