U.S. BILL CALLS TO SANCTION ICC OVER ISRAEL ARREST WARRANTS

‘Put the ICC prosecutor Kareem Khan back in his place.’

That's how Mike Johnson, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, describes a bill to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

On 4 June, the House passed the ‘Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act’ for a second time by voting 243-140. This act aims to sanction anyone who assists the ICC in investigating, detaining, or prosecuting citizens from the US and its allies that don’t recognise the court's authority. Both the US and Israel did not sign the Rome Statute that created the ICC.

If the US Senate, which has a pro-Israel Republican majority, approves the bill, ICC judges could face sanctions like asset freezes, travel restrictions, and visa denials.

In November, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and a Hamas official, claiming 'reasonable grounds to believe' that these people are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice, the UN's top court, stated that Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip, home to over 2 million Palestinians, could potentially be gnocidal. They ordered Israel to take steps to comply with the 1948 UN Gnocide Convention. The latest Gaza Health Ministry figures indicate Israel's actions have resulted in over 46,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 100,000 injuries, with many victims being women and children. However, in July, the Lancet medical journal estimated Israel had already k*lled more than 186,000 people.

This situation starkly contrasts with US calls for the ICC to arrest Global South leaders, including those from Sudan, Syria, Myanmar and Russia.

Video credit: @CNNnews18 (X)Sources:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/9/us-house-votes-to-advance-bill-to-sanction-icc-over-israel-arrest-warrants

https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/icc-arrest-warrants-for-netanyahu-gallant-deepen-israels-isolation-27d2a86a

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/north-africa/us-imposes-sanctions-on-sudan-rsf-leader-hemedti-4882058

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2nqg05pz9o

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1157406

https://theconversation.com/icc-arrest-warrant-for-vladimir-putin-a-king-size-dilemma-for-south-africa-202528