The US Congressional Senate is discussing the possibility of imposing sanctions on a number of International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, as well as banning their US visas, Fox News reports.
The resolution, led by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, recommends that President Biden and Congress “impose financial sanctions and visa bans on International Criminal Court officials for abuses of power that threaten the interests of the US and weaken its allies.”
The resolution would put on record that the US Senate “stands with Israel and fully rejects the International Criminal Court’s actions against senior Israeli officials.”
In addition, the resolution calls on allies and partners, who the senators note are largely responsible for funding the ICC, to “use their leverage to stop the politicised proceedings”.
Senators’ statements
Rounds said in a statement:
“It is unconscionable that the ICC prosecutor would seek arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for defending against Hamas terrorists. Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization while Israel is a democracy and ally of the United States that works hard to uphold international law. This action by the ICC prosecutor draws an equivalency that is devoid of reality. I am proud to lead my colleagues in this resolution that tells the world that we stand with Israel.”
The measure is co-sponsored by Sens. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., John Thune, R-S.D., Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Steve Daines, R-Mont., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., John Boozman, R-Ark., Mike Braun, R-Ind., John Fetterman, D-Penn., Bob Casey, D-Penn., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., John Hoeven, R-N.D., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., John Kennedy, R-La., and Rick Scott, R-Fla.
In his own statement, Manchin remarked:
“The International Criminal Court’s decision to charge Israeli leadership with war crimes is shocking and disgraceful. Israel is facing an existential threat in Hamas’s brutal terrorist agenda, and I have continued to support the country’s right to defend itself in a manner expected of a nation that abides by the law of armed conflict. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution with Senator Rounds to condemn the ICC’s outrageous choice that equates Israel’s efforts to secure its homeland with the barbarism of Hamas, and I encourage all of my colleagues to join us.”
Earlier this week, the ICC formally applied for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as arrest warrants for leaders of the Hamas terrorist group for committing “war crimes”.
The Senate can’t reach a consensus
The proposed Senate resolution comes as members in the House across both parties similarly are in discussions about how to address the ICC’s decision. Explaining that the top Republican and Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee were speaking about the issue, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Fox News Digital on Thursday:
“There are ongoing discussions, as I understand it, between Chairman McCaul and ranking member Gregory Meeks, and the objective is trying to reach bipartisan consensus with respect to the International Criminal Court.”
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that both Netanyahu and Gallant had committed war crimes, including using “starvation of civilians as a method of warfare” and “deliberately directing attacks against civilians.”
Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity:
“This is a rogue prosecutor who’s gone amok. He’s out to demonise the one and only Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East, and it’s both false and dangerous.”
Western opinion on the ICC ruling against Netanyahu and Gallant divided, with the US strongly defending Israel and Europe supporting the court.
The US State Department explained the “fundamental difference” regarding the ICC’s jurisdiction over the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. According to Washington, the ICC’s functionality extends to cases where at least one party to the conflict recognises it. Neither Israel nor Palestine recognise the jurisdiction of this court, but Kyiv, the US stresses, does. Therefore, the US believes that only Russia can be prosecuted, and Israel is not concerned.
The head of Eurodiplomacy agreed with the ICC’s demands for Netanyahu’s arrest. Josep Borrell said he takes note of the ICC prosecutor’s decision to request an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister.
