The U.S. Home of Representatives voted on Thursday to sanction the Worldwide Prison Court docket to protest its issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former protection minister over Israel’s marketing campaign in Gaza.
The vote was 243 to 140 in favor of the “Illegitimate Court docket Counteraction Act,” which might sanction any foreigner who investigates, arrests, detains or prosecutes U.S. residents or these of an allied nation, together with Israel, who aren’t members of the courtroom.
Forty-five Democrats joined 198 Republicans in backing the invoice. No Republican voted in opposition to it.
“America is passing this regulation as a result of a kangaroo courtroom is looking for to arrest the prime minister of our nice ally, Israel,” Consultant Brian Mast, Republican chairman of the Home International Affairs Committee, mentioned in a Home speech earlier than the vote.
The Home vote, one of many first for the reason that new Congress was seated final week, underscored robust help amongst President-elect Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans for Israel’s authorities, now that they management each chambers in Congress.
Trump can be sworn in on Jan. 20 for a second time period as president.
The Senate’s newly appointed Republican majority chief, John Thune, has promised swift consideration of the act in his chamber so Trump can signal it into regulation shortly after taking workplace.
The ICC is a everlasting courtroom that may prosecute people for battle crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression in member states or by their nationals.
The courtroom has mentioned its determination to pursue warrants in opposition to the Israeli officers was consistent with its strategy in all instances, primarily based on an evaluation by the prosecutor that there was sufficient proof to proceed, and the view that looking for arrest warrants instantly may stop ongoing crimes.
Congressional Republicans have been denouncing the ICC because it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former protection chief Yoav Gallant, accusing them of battle crimes and crimes in opposition to humanity within the 15-month-long Gaza battle. Israel rejects the allegations.
The Republican-led Home handed the act looking for to sanction the ICC in June, however the measure was by no means taken up within the Senate, which on the time was managed by a Democratic majority.
