On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that the House of Representatives will vote this week to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court and its Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, following the court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
“This week, the House will vote to impose sanctions on ICC officials and put the ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, back in his place,” Johnson declared.
“Khan does not have jurisdiction over Israel or the United States, and it is outrageous that they’re issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. The ICC is actually equating Israel and Hamas, as even as Hamas still holds Israelis and American hostages. It is just absurd,” the House Speaker added.
“The House will not tolerate rogue actors who circumvent international law to attack Israel and threaten America. We won’t do it,” Johnson affirmed.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the vote on the sanctions will occur on Thursday.
The bill was initially passed in the House back in June with support from both Republicans and 42 Democrats. However, then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer did not bring it to a vote in the Senate. The bill’s reintroduction follows recent commitments from prominent Republicans in Congress and the incoming administration to sanction the ICC and undermine its credibility starting in the new year.
Although President-elect Donald Trump has the power to impose sanctions on the ICC via executive order, such orders could be undone by future administrations. If Congress passes the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, future presidents would not have the authority to revoke it unilaterally. With Republicans holding 53 Senate seats, the measure will need the support of at least seven Democrats to meet the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.
The incoming administration is preparing additional executive orders to complement the House bill, including imposing significant sanctions on ICC prosecutors, judges, and the court itself. These measures, set to be introduced shortly after Trump’s inauguration, aim to pressure the ICC to revoke its arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Earlier this week, Yisroel Hayom reported that President-elect Donald Trump intends to introduce far-reaching sanctions against the ICC.
The executive orders, designed to severely impact the ICC, could be released as early as January 21, according to the report.
President Joe Biden condemned the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
“The ICC issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous. Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence—none—between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security,” Biden stated.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also emphasized that the administration rejects the ICC’s decision and disagrees with other countries that have accepted it.
“We are not going to be executing any arrest warrants, that is not something we are going to do from here,” she said.
She added that the U.S. believes the process was flawed, explaining: “In contrast to how he (the prosecutor) has treated others, including (Venezuelan President) Nicolás Maduro and his associates, he failed to provide Israel with a meaningful opportunity to engage constructively and to properly consider its domestic processes. This calls into question the credibility of the prosecutor’s investigation and the decision today.”
{Matzav.com}
Why doesnt he wait till after Jan 20 – so that Trump can take credit for the bill