House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Tuesday that the House will this week approve sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, in response to the court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
"This week, the House will vote to impose sanctions on ICC officials and put the ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, back in his place,” Johnson stated.
“[Khan] does not have jurisdiction over Israel or the United States, and it is outrageous that they’re issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. The ICC is actually equating Israel and Hamas, as even as Hamas still holds Israelis and American hostages. It is just absurd,” added the House Speaker.
“The House will not tolerate rogue actors who circumvent international law to attack Israel and threaten America. We won’t do it,” Johnson made clear.
According to a report in the Washington Free Beacon, the vote on the sanctions will take place on Thursday.
This legislation previously passed the House in June, gaining support from Republicans and 42 Democrats. However, then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer did not advance it for a Senate vote. Its reintroduction follows recent commitments by top Republicans—both in Congress and the incoming White House—to sanction the ICC and undermine its credibility after assuming power in the new year.
Although President-elect Donald Trump could impose sanctions on the ICC through an executive order, such actions could be reversed by subsequent administrations. If Congress passes the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, future presidents would be unable to unilaterally revoke it. With Republicans holding 53 Senate seats, the measure will require the support of at least seven Democrats to overcome the Senate's 60-vote threshold.
The incoming administration is preparing executive orders to complement the House measure, including imposing "devastating" sanctions on ICC prosecutors, judges, and the court itself. These actions, expected to be unveiled shortly after Trump’s inauguration, aim to pressure the ICC into withdrawing its arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Earlier this week, Israel Hayom reported that US President-elect Donald Trump plans to introduce sweeping sanctions against the ICC.
The executive orders, aimed at crippling the ICC, could be unveiled as early as January 21, the report said.
President Joe Biden condemned the ICC decision to issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.
“The ICC issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous. Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security,” stated Biden.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also stressed that the administration rejects the ICC decision and disagrees with other countries that accepted the decision.
"We are not going to be executing any arrest warrants, that is not something we are going to do from here," she stated.
She noted that the US believes the process was flawed and explained: "In contrast to how he (the prosecutor) has treated others, including (Venezuelan President) Nicolás Maduro and his associates, he failed to provide Israel with a meaningful opportunity to engage constructively and to properly consider its domestic processes. This calls into question the credibility of the prosecutor's investigation and the decision today.