US House Passes Bill to Sanction ICC after Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant

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The US House of Representatives has voted to sanction the ICC after it issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant over alleged war crimes in gaza.

The US House of Representatives voted on Thursday to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) following its issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in gaza, Reuters news agency reported.

The so-called ‘Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act’ passed with an overwhelming 243 to 140 votes in favor. The act imposes sanctions on any foreigner who investigates, arrests, detains, or prosecutes US citizens or citizens of allied countries, including israel, who are not members of the court.  

While no Republican voted against the bill, 45 Democrats supported it.  

Ritchie Torres will vote for sanctions against the ICC because they want to hold Netanyahu accountable for his crimes. What a fucking joke. pic.twitter.com/HcX2yncasL

— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) January 9, 2025

“America is passing this law because a kangaroo court is seeking to arrest the prime minister of our great ally, israel,” said Representative Brian Mast, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, during a speech in the House before the vote.  

The independent news outlet Common Dreams quoted Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) as saying on social media ahead of Thursday’s vote: “The ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants against the leadership of israel represents the weaponization of international law at its most egregious.” 

According to AIPAC Tracker, Torres is the top congressional recipient of campaign contributions from pro-israel lobbyists, including the American israel Public Affairs Committee.  

In November, the ICC issued warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Galant, his former defense minister, “for crimes against humanity and war crimes” in gaza.  

Amnesty International USA criticized the House vote as “deeply disappointing.”  

What’s their top priority the first week of the new Congress? Lowering costs? Addressing the housing crisis? No, it’s sanctioning the International Criminal Court to protect genocidal maniac Netanyahu so he can continue the genocide in gaza.

— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) January 9, 2025

“The ICC is part of a global system of international justice of which the US was a chief architect at Nuremberg and beyond,” Amnesty said in a statement. The organization warned that, “if the Senate follows suit, it will do grave harm to the interests of all victims globally.”  

Palestinian-American lawmaker Rashida Tlaib also condemned the decision on social media, asking: “What’s their top priority the first week of the new Congress? Lowering costs? Addressing the housing crisis? No, it’s sanctioning the International Criminal Court to protect genocidal maniac Netanyahu so he can continue the genocide in gaza.”  

Ongoing Genocide

The ongoing Israeli assault on the gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. As the death toll among besieged and starved Palestinian civilians continues to rise daily, israel is currently facing charges of genocide against Palestinians before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

According to gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 46,006 Palestinians have been killed, and 109,378 wounded in israel’s ongoing genocide in gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across gaza.

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The war, which Palestinians call “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began after a military operation carried out by Hamas on Israeli territory. israel reports that 1,139 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the initial attack on October 7. However, Israeli media have raised concerns that a significant number of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.

Human rights organizations, both Palestinian and international, have reported that the overwhelming majority of the casualties in gaza are women and children. The ongoing violence has also exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.

The war has displaced nearly two million people from their homes across gaza, with the majority of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded southern region of the Strip. The population in gaza remains trapped in the ongoing conflict, with little access to basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care.

(The palestine Chronicle)