(CLO) The US House of Representatives has just voted to pass a bill to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) in protest of the agency's issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in connection with Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
The bill, called the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, passed by a vote of 243 to 140, would impose sanctions on any foreign individual who investigates, arrests, detains, or prosecutes a U.S. citizen or a citizen of an allied country that is not a member of the ICC, including Israel.
Outside the International Criminal Court ICC. Photo: Matthias Fuchs
Among the votes in favor were 45 Democrats and 198 Republicans. No Republicans opposed the bill.
"America passed this bill because an unjust court is seeking to arrest the Prime Minister of our great ally, Israel," Rep. Brian Mast, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said before the vote.
The vote underscores the strong support for Israel by Republicans, allies of President-elect Donald Trump, especially as they control both the House and Senate.
The new Republican Senate leader, John Thune, pledged to quickly bring the bill up for discussion and approval so that President Trump can sign it into law immediately after taking office on January 20.
The ICC is a permanent court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression against member states or their nationals.
The court said the decision to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was entirely in line with normal investigative procedures, based on the prosecutor's assessment that there was sufficient evidence to proceed and that issuing an immediate arrest warrant could prevent ongoing crimes.
However, Republicans have repeatedly condemned the ICC since it issued arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 15-month conflict in Gaza. Israel has strongly denied the charges.
Previously in June 2024, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the ICC sanctions bill, but the then Democratic-controlled Senate did not take up the bill for discussion.
Now, with control of both houses, Republicans have the opportunity to implement sanctions measures that would protect Israel from legal action from the ICC.
The US's move to sanction the ICC has raised concerns from the international community about US interference in global legal mechanisms.
Cao Phong (according to NBC, CBS, CNN)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/toa-an-hinh-su-quoc-te-bi-my-trung-phat-vi-lenh-bat-giu-cac-lanh-dao-israel-post329801.html
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