US House Passes Bill To Sanction ICC Over Netanyahu, Gallant Warrants
Lawmakers in the US House of Representatives passed a bill on Tuesday to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) for requesting arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The vote passed 247 to 155, with all 205 voting Republicans backing the measure alongside 42 Democrats.
This marks Congress’s first legislative response to the war crimes court since its decision last month to seek arrest warrants for the leaders of Israel and Hamas. The move was widely denounced in Washington, creating a rare moment of unity in Israel even as partisan divisions over the war started by Hamas’ October 7 attack intensified.
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The House bill would impose sweeping economic sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals and judges associated with the ICC, including their family members. Despite strong support in the House, the measure is expected to face a tougher time in the Democrat-led Senate.
The White House opposes the legislation, calling it overreach. Democratic lawmakers have labeled the approach as “overly broad,” warning it could ensnare Americans and US companies that work with the court. It would also hinder steps taken by the tribunal that the US has supported, such as an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Both Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee have acknowledged the bill is unlikely to become law and have left the door open to further negotiation with the White House. They emphasized the importance of a united front against The Hague-based court.
“We’re always strongest, particularly on this committee, when we speak with one voice as one nation, in this case to the ICC and to the judges,” GOP Representative Mike McCaul of Texas, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said during House debate. “A partisan messaging bill was not my intention here, but that is where we are.”
