US House of Representatives passes bill calling for sanctions on ICC over Israel

The US House of Representatives has passed a largely symbolic bill calling for sanctions on the International Criminal Court.

This comes after the ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, requested the issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

In May, Karim Khan sought arrest warrants against Netanyahu, his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders, Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Deif, on suspicion of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the ongoing conflict between the two sides in Gaza.

The proposed "Anti-ICC Illegitimacy Act," approved by the US House of Representatives with support from almost all Republicans and about a fifth of Democrats, would prohibit ICC officials involved in the case from entering the United States, revoke their visas, and restrict any real estate transactions.

House Republican leader Mike Johnson said in a statement: "The United States firmly stands with Israel and refuses to allow international bureaucrats to issue baseless arrest orders against the Israeli leadership for alleged crimes."

AFP