The U.S. House of Representatives, led by Republicans, has approved legislation aimed at imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its prosecutor’s decision to pursue arrest warrants for Israeli officials regarding the conflict in Gaza.
The vote, with 247 in favour and 155 against, saw 42 Democrats joining Republicans in supporting the measure. Notably, there were no Republican votes against the bill, although two Republicans abstained by voting “present.”
Although unlikely to become law, the passage of this legislation underscores the ongoing congressional support for Israel amid international scrutiny of its actions in Gaza.
The White House had previously criticized the ICC’s move to seek arrest warrants.
While the bill is not expected to be taken up for a vote in the Senate, which is narrowly controlled by Democrats, it seeks to impose sanctions on individuals involved in ICC prosecutions of Americans or citizens of non-ICC member states, including Israel. The proposed sanctions would include blocking entry to the United States, revoking U.S. visas, and restricting property transactions.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s announcement last month, following more than seven months of conflict in Gaza, implicated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence chief, and three Hamas leaders, alleging their criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In response, PM Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the ICC prosecutor’s decision as absurd, asserting that it targeted the entirety of Israel.
Israel initiated an air and ground offensive in Gaza last October, with the stated aim of dismantling Hamas following attacks by militants. Israeli tallies indicate approximately 1,200 fatalities and over 250 hostages taken during the conflict, with around 120 hostages still in Gaza.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, the Israeli military campaign has resulted in the deaths of more than 36,000 individuals in the densely populated territory, with thousands more believed to be buried under rubble.
