Sen. John Thune, who will serve as Senate majority leader next Congress, is urging the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor to quit trying to arrest top Israeli officials.
The South Dakota Republican’s warning comes as a three-judge panel considers ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan’s May request for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for purported war crimes in Gaza.
“If the ICC and its prosecutor do not reverse their outrageous and unlawful actions to pursue arrest warrants against Israeli officials, the Senate should immediately pass sanctions legislation, as the House has already done on a bipartisan basis,” Mr. Thune posted Sunday on X.
The ICC is based in The Hague, Netherlands.
A bill the House passed in June to impose sanctions on ICC officials who target U.S. or Israeli citizens has stalled in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats.
Mr. Thune said if Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, and his party don’t act on the ICC sanctions measure this year, he and the incoming Senate Republican majority will bring it to the floor next year.
“If Majority Leader Schumer 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,” Mr. Thune said.
The measure would need bipartisan support to clear the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, but at least a few Senate Democrats support sanctioning the ICC.
In the House, 42 Democrats joined Republicans in passing the ICC sanctions bill, 247-155. The measure would impose economic and visa-related punishment for anyone participating or aiding in the attempted prosecution of Israeli officials.
The Biden administration issued a statement saying it “strongly opposes” the House bill, but it didn’t issue a veto threat.
It expressed concern the measure is written too broadly.
“There are more effective ways to defend Israel, preserve U.S. positions on the ICC, and promote international justice and accountability,” the White House said.
• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.
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