The bill targeting the International Criminal Court now goes to the Senate, where Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is expected to bring it up.
The House passed a bill on Jan. 9 to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) over issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), passed 243–140 with one voting “present.”
It now goes to the Senate, where Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is expected to bring it up. Thune has decried the warrants.
“After the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defense minister in November, I called on the Democrat leader to bring up an ICC sanctions bill that had already passed the House—again with bipartisan support,” he said on the Senate floor on Jan. 8.
“The ICC’s rogue actions only enable the terrorists who seek to wipe Israel off the map—and they cannot be allowed to stand unchecked. In November, I promised that if [then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)] wouldn’t bring the ICC sanctions bill to the floor, Republicans would. And we’ll soon fulfill that promise and have a vote to support our ally Israel.”
The ICC issued the arrest warrants on Nov. 21, 2024, for Netanyahu and Gallant “for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed” between at least Oct. 8, 2023, and at least May 20, 2024, that include “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.” These allegations come amid Israel’s war with the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza in response to the latter’s air, land, and sea attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which left 1,200 people dead, thousands injured, and more than 250 people kidnapped.
The ICC also issued arrest warrants for former Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh. Sinwar was killed by Israel on Oct. 16, 2024.
Netanyahu said that he “rejects with disgust” his warrant based on “the absurd and false actions” of the ICC.
“There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza,” he said in a statement.
Gallant said the warrant against him “sets a dangerous precedent against the right to self-defense and moral warfare and encourages murderous terrorism.”
Netanyahu fired Gallant from his position as defense minister on Nov. 5, 2024.
The House bill would allow the United States to sanction ICC officials and those who aid and abet the ICC in arresting and prosecuting those protected against ICC prosecution, such as U.S. and Israeli officials, since neither the United States nor Israel is under the jurisdiction of the Hague institution.
These sanctions would block those targeted from accessing assets that are in the United States and prohibit entry to those persons.
Finally, the bill would cut all U.S. funding for the ICC.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.