Israeli

House Democrats Join Republicans in Passing Bill to Sanction International Criminal Court in response to Netanyahu threats

Published

6 months ago

June 4, 2024

Forty-two House Democrats joined forces with Republicans to pass a bill imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its prosecutor’s pursuit of arrest warrants against top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The bill, spearheaded by Representatives Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Brian Mast (R-Fla.), received bipartisan support and was approved with a vote of 247-155 on Tuesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that President Biden’s vow to withhold weapons from Israel will result in civilian casualties inside Gaza. ((Fox News/Getty Images))

Two Republicans abstained from voting, while the remaining 205 GOP lawmakers voted in favour of the bill. All 155 votes against the bill came from Democrats.

Despite opposition from the White House, which released a statement expressing its disagreement with the bill, the Biden administration did not threaten to veto it.

The statement emphasized that there are alternative and more effective ways to defend Israel, uphold U.S. positions on the ICC, and promote international justice and accountability.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul lamented the breakdown in bipartisan talks

The administration expressed its willingness to collaborate with Congress on exploring those options.

Earlier discussions among House lawmakers aimed at formulating a bipartisan response to the ICC’s actions fell apart.

Chief prosecutor Karim Khan’s announcement of seeking arrest warrants against Israeli and Hamas officials in relation to the Gaza conflict prompted these discussions. The White House’s statement effectively ended the negotiations.

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) expressed disappointment at the lack of bipartisanship in crafting the bill.

He revealed that he had been working with his Democratic counterpart, ranking member Representative Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), on a compromise bill that had garnered support from both sides.

However, the White House’s intervention halted their efforts.

Speaker Mike Johnson blamed the White House for the breakdown in ICC response talks (Getty Images)

McCaul explained that he and Meeks had reached a bipartisan agreement that satisfied everyone involved, including discussions with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

However, when the matter was brought to the attention of the White House, they abruptly changed their stance. McCaul characterized the situation as futile if the bill lacked bipartisan support, as it was what Netanyahu had desired.

During the debate on the House floor regarding the measure, Meeks recognized the bipartisan collaboration but criticized the bill up for voting on Tuesday, contending that it could negatively impact the ICC as an institution and hinder the court’s ability to prosecute severe atrocities committed globally.

In our foreign policy, we frequently resort to sanctions as a primary option rather than a last resort.

Meeks emphasized that sanctions should not be the sole method to express disapproval, as they carry significant repercussions.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., attributed the breakdown in bipartisan discussions to the White House in remarks to Fox News Digital. Johnson mentioned that despite efforts to make the bill bipartisan, the White House’s refusal to support sanctions led to the breakdown in talks.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., emphasized that the bill is not a partisan endeavour and urged the Democrat-controlled Senate to consider the bill.

With the House passing our bipartisan bill to sanction the ICC for equating Israel to Hamas as a war criminal, we have sent a clear message to the world that we stand firmly with our ally against brutal terrorists.

The question now is: Which side will Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer support?” Emmer stated.