The vote was 243 to 140 in favor of the “Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act,“ which would sanction any foreigner who investigates, arrests, detains or prosecutes U.S. citizens or those of an allied country, including Israel, who are not members of the court.
“America is passing this law because a kangaroo court is seeking to arrest the prime minister of our great ally, Israel,” Representative Brian Mast, Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a House speech before the vote.
The ICC said it noted the bill with concern and warned it could rob victims of atrocities of justice and hope.
Trump’s first administration imposed sanctions on the ICC in 2020 in response to investigations into war crimes in Afghanistan, including allegations of torture by U.S. citizens.
Five years ago, then-ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and other staff had credit cards and bank accounts frozen and U.S. travel impeded.
“The bill is also broad because anyone who provides support to the court on any case exposes themselves to sanctions,“ Milena Sterio, international law expert at Cleveland State University, told Reuters.
In December, the court’s president, judge Tomoko Akane, told the ICC’s 125 member nations that “these measures would rapidly undermine the Court’s operations in all situations and cases and jeopardize its very existence”.
The Senate’s newly appointed Republican majority leader, John Thune, has promised swift consideration of the sanctions act in his chamber so that Trump can sign it into law shortly after taking office.
The court has said its decision to pursue warrants against the Israeli officials was in line with its approach in all cases, based on an assessment by the prosecutor that there was enough evidence to proceed, and the view that seeking arrest warrants immediately could prevent ongoing crimes.
Congressional Republicans have been denouncing the ICC since it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his ex-defense chief Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the 15-month-old Gaza conflict. Israel denies the allegations.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( US House votes to sanction International Criminal Court over Israel )
Also on site :