The House of Representatives voted Thursday to approve the “Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act,” a measure sanctioning the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. The bill, which passed 243-140, would penalize any foreign individual involved in prosecuting U.S. citizens or citizens of allied nations, including Israel, that are not ICC members.
Forty-five Democrats joined 198 Republicans in supporting the legislation. No Republicans opposed the bill. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL) called the ICC a “kangaroo court” during remarks, emphasizing the bipartisan commitment to defending Israel, a key U.S. ally.
The Republican-controlled Senate, under Majority Leader John Thune, is expected to act quickly to pass the measure, enabling President-elect Donald Trump to sign it into law soon after his inauguration on January 20. The act underscores Republican support for Israel’s government and their broader criticism of the ICC’s jurisdiction.
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, prosecutes war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. It defended its decision to issue warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, asserting that the move aligns with its standard procedures and aims to prevent further alleged crimes in the Gaza conflict.
The warrants stem from allegations of war crimes during a 15-month conflict in Gaza. Israel has rejected the charges, and congressional Republicans have widely condemned the ICC’s actions as biased and illegitimate. The act to sanction the ICC was initially passed by the House in June but was stalled in the then-Democratic-controlled Senate.
With Republicans now holding both chambers of Congress, the legislation reflects a strong push to shield U.S. and allied officials from international prosecution. This vote solidifies bipartisan opposition to ICC actions perceived as undermining Israeli sovereignty and U.S. interests.
