House votes on sanctions for top war crimes court after it sought Netanyahu arrest warrant
The House is expected to pass legislation that would sanction the International Criminal Court for seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is voting Tuesday on legislation that would sanction the International Criminal Court for requesting arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.
The vote amounts to Congress’ first legislative rebuke to the war crimes court since its stunning decision last month to seek arrest warrants for the leaders of Israel and Hamas. The move was widely denounced in Washington, creating a rare moment of unity on Israel even as partisan divisions over the war with Hamas intensified.
While the House bill is expected to pass Tuesday, it was not likely to attract significant Democratic support, dulling its chances in the Senate. The White House opposes the legislation, calling it overreach.
Both the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee acknowledged the bill is unlikely to become law and left the door open to further negotiation with the White House. They said it would be better for Congress to be united against the Hague-based court.
