The Bill is a response to the arrest warrants issued against Israeli leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant by the ICC

ANI WASHINGTON

The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a Bill to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, Al Jazeera reported. The Bill, "Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act," passed with a vote of 243 to 140, signalling strong support for Israel.

According to Al Jazeera, 45 Democrats joined 198 Republicans in backing the Bill, with no Republican opposition. The Bill will now be considered by the Senate, which is under Republican control.

"America is passing this law because a kangaroo court is seeking to arrest the prime minister of our great ally, Israel," Al Jazeera quoted Representative Brian Mast, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as saying.

The proposed sanctions target any individual or entity that aids the ICC in its efforts to investigate, arrest, or prosecute US citizens or citizens of allied nations that do not recognise the court's authority, Al Jazeera reported.

Sanctions would include freezing assets and denying visas to those who contribute to the ICC's actions. The ICC's arrest warrants were issued in May 2023, accusing Netanyahu and Gallant of war crimes related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.