The US House of Representatives has passed the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, a bill imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. The legislation, which passed with a 243-140 vote on Thursday, targets ICC officials and entities involved in investigations, arrests, and detentions of Americans and allied nationals.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast, a vocal critic of the ICC, described the court as a “kangaroo court” in a statement ahead of the vote. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Republicans hold a majority. A similar measure was previously blocked by Senate Democrats in June.
The ICC issued warrants in November against Netanyahu, Gallant, and three senior Hamas figures, accusing them of committing war crimes in Gaza. Israel rejected the charges, with Netanyahu denouncing the ICC as a “biased and discriminatory political body.” The ICC’s jurisdiction is not recognized by Israel, the US, Russia, or China, limiting its enforcement capabilities.
The conflict in Gaza, which escalated following a surprise Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant casualties. More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began, according to local Hamas-run authorities, while the initial Hamas assault claimed around 1,200 Israeli lives and led to 250 hostages being taken, with around 100 still held in Gaza.
