America demands a ban on the court that issued the arrest warrant against Netanyahu.

The House of Representatives, the lower house of the US Parliament, on Thursday passed a bill to ban the International Criminal Court (ICC). In fact, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2023. In response to this, the US House of Representatives has passed this bill.

In the lower house of the US Parliament, 140 out of 243 votes were cast in favor of this bill 'The Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act'. Those who supported the bill included 198 Republicans along with 45 Democrats. Now this bill will be considered by the Senate, which is under the control of Republicans.

America demands a ban on ICC.

According to Al Jazeera's report, Representative Brian Mast, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the US is passing this law because the International Criminal Court wants to arrest the Prime Minister of Israel. He said that the target of the proposed sanctions could be any person or organization that helps the ICC investigate, arrest, or prosecute American citizens or citizens of allied countries that do not recognize the authority of the court.

Arrest warrant against Netanyahu-Galant

Brian Mast further said that the sanctions would include confiscating the assets of those involved and denying visas to those who contributed to the ICC's actions. The ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli PM Netanyahu and Galant in May 2023. The court accused both of them of Gaza war crimes. In response, US legislators have demanded action against the ICC and now this bill needs Senate approval.

Donald Trump had imposed sanctions earlier too.

During his first term, US President-elect Donald Trump imposed sanctions on ICC officials over the court's investigations into US actions in Afghanistan and Israeli activities in the Palestinian territories. However, these sanctions were later lifted by Joe Biden. The US has sometimes supported the ICC. The US had sought an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Like Israel and the US, Russia is also not a member of the ICC.

What is the International Criminal Court (ICC)?

Once the ICC warrant is issued, it is up to its 124 member countries to enforce it or not. The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over crimes committed in the territory of any member country, regardless of the nationality of the criminal. The ICC is a permanent tribunal with the power to prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression. Its headquarters is in The Hague, Netherlands.