The US House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to their potential issuance of an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. H.R. 8282, known as the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, aims to impose sanctions for “any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person of the United States and its allies.”
Provisions of the bill include the application of sanctions permissible under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, as well as revoking visas for individuals assisting in such ICC investigations or arrests. The move follows ICC Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan’s application for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and senior Hamas leaders in May. The warrants pertain to alleged crimes against humanity committed during the exacerbated conflict between Israel and Hamas beginning in October 2023.
The charges include allegations of wartime atrocities such as intentional attacks on civilians, willful killing, and the use of starvation as a method of warfare, perpetrated through a comprehensive siege of Gaza. The siege notably closed major border crossings and restricted essential supplies and services, including food, medicine, water, and electricity.
US political leaders, including President Joe Biden, have condemned the ICC prosecutor’s decision, criticizing it for equating actions by Israel with those of Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the US. The bill now awaits Senate passage to become law, a process currently considered by the House as “unfinished business,” with further proceedings yet to be scheduled.
For more details, refer to the full article available on JURIST.