Republican Senate majority leader threatens to sanction ICC over Israel

If the International Criminal Court and its prosecutor Karim Khan do not reverse their “outrageous unlawful actions to pursue arrest warrants against Israeli officials, the Senate should immediately pass sanctions legislation,” Senate Majority Leader-elect John Thune (R-S.D.) wrote on Sunday.

Thune added that if the outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) “does not act, the Senate Republican majority will stand with our key ally Israel and make this – and other supportive legislation – a top priority in the next Congress”.

In June, the House passed a bill calling on the US president to sanction those who assist the ICC in its investigation, arrest, detention or prosecution of “a protected person”.

Khan had previously said that he was seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as for Hamas leaders.

Several senators supported the incoming Senate majority leader’s statement.

“The Senate must immediately pass legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court,” wrote Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chair of the Senate Republican Conference. “Senate Republicans stands with Israel.”

“Well done Senator Thune. The ICC’s actions against Israel have been outrageous, and an independent review into the prosecutor’s actions is more than called for,” wrote Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “The Senate should take up the ICC sanctions bill that passed the House in a bipartisan manner. Standing up for Israel today protects America tomorrow.”

Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote that the committee “can and should act as soon as possible to pass ICC sanctions legislation.”

“We waited for months for the majority to schedule the vote only to have them postpone it before the election,” Risch wrote. “We will not fail to act when Republicans are in the majority.”