It is intended to be a sign from the USA against the “baseless” arrest warrant request against Benjamin Netanyahu. The Republicans want to use a bill to sanction members of the International Criminal Court. The proposal has no prospect of success.
The US House of Representatives has voted for a – largely symbolic – bill that would impose sanctions on members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in light of the request for an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The chairman of the House of Representatives, which is dominated by opposition Republicans, Mike Johnson, said on Tuesday (local time) that the vote showed that the US was firmly on Israel’s side. However, it is considered unlikely that the text will be adopted by the Senate, the second legislative chamber, which is dominated by opposition Democrats.
USA not a member of the International Criminal Court
According to Johnson, the vote shows that the United States rejects “international bureaucrats issuing baseless arrest warrants against senior Israeli politicians” “for false crimes.”
On May 20, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants against Netanyahu and his defense minister Yoav Gallant, as well as against the leaders of the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas, for alleged crimes against humanity and alleged war crimes. The United States criticized the ICC chief prosecutor’s actions against Netanyahu and Gallant, and President Biden described the request for arrest warrants as “outrageous.”
However, the US government opposes sanctions against the ICC. While it is deeply concerned about the chief prosecutor’s “reckless haste” in seeking arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials, the White House said on Monday, “at the same time, the government opposes the imposition of sanctions against the International Criminal Court, its staff, its judges, or those who support its work.”
Handcuffs for Netanyahu? The arrest warrant that plunges the German government into a dilemma
05:58 min
If a panel of judges approves the request for arrest warrants, the 124 ICC member states would theoretically be obliged to arrest the wanted men as soon as they are on their territory. This could make it more difficult for Netanyahu and Gallant to travel to the EU, for example. However, Israel’s most important ally, the United States, is not a member of the ICC.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
