US House of Representatives supports sanctions against ICC over Netanyahu arrest warrant
Kyiv • UNN
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill on sanctions against officials of the International Criminal Court. The document provides for a ban on property transactions and visa revocation for those involved in ICC investigations.
The US House of Representatives has approved a bill to impose sanctions against officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to the issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This was reported by CNN, according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that the document provides for measures against any court action aimed at investigating or prosecuting protected persons of the United States and its allies.
The bill calls for strong condemnation of the warrants against Israeli officials. And, according to the legislative text, the measure would impose sanctions on the court for any attempt to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any person who is under the protection of the United States and its allies
The document also prohibits property transactions in the United States for persons associated with ICC investigations, and blocks and revokes their visas. According to the law, adopted in 2024, any political campaigning or actions by third parties are equivalent to a political donation if they are intended to influence the activities of public officials.
Last year, the ICC indicted Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and a Hamas representative for war crimes committed during and after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office called the accusations “absurd and anti-Semitic.
The initiative received broad support among Republicans and a significant number of Democrats. The vote in the House of Representatives ended with a score of 247 in favor to 155 against, with 42 Democrats supporting the bill. The Republicans, who now control both houses of Congress, brought it up for reconsideration after the Senate failed to support it in the previous convocation.
Israel, like the United States, is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize its jurisdiction over its actions in conflicts. Established in 2002 to prosecute crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, the ICC has no enforcement mechanism and depends on the cooperation of states.
It is expected that the bill will now be submitted to the Senate for a final vote, which could be an important test for the future of the US relationship with the ICC and its activities.
Recall
Poland has promised not to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under an ICC warrant. An exception will be made if he visits the country on the day of the liberation of Auschwitz.
