Tue Jan 28 23:58:09 UTC 2025: ## US Senate Blocks Sanctions on ICC Over Netanyahu Arrest Warrant; UN Experts Condemn Move

**Washington, DC** – A US Senate bill aimed at sanctioning the International Criminal Court (ICC) over its arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has failed to pass. The bill, which garnered 54 votes in favor but needed 60 to advance, has drawn sharp criticism from UN experts and international legal bodies.

While many Democrats opposing the bill acknowledged concerns about potential ICC bias against Israel, they cited the legislation’s flawed drafting and potential negative impact on US allies and businesses as reasons for their vote. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, while expressing support for the bill’s underlying goal, argued for revising its problematic language.

The bill’s failure comes amidst warnings from UN experts that such sanctions would severely undermine the international legal order. They highlighted the dangerous precedent set by a country self-proclaimed as a champion of the rule of law attempting to obstruct an independent tribunal. Similarly, current and former presidents of the ICC’s Assembly of States Parties warned that sanctions could severely hinder investigations globally.

The ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza, including accusations of starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity. Simultaneously, a warrant was issued for Hamas commander Mohammed Deif. The court denies any bias, noting similar actions taken against Russian officials for alleged abuses in Ukraine – a move previously praised by US officials. Neither the US nor Israel is party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC, however, the court asserts jurisdiction based on the location of the alleged crimes in Gaza, a territory under Palestinian control.

The vote follows a similar move by former President Donald Trump who imposed sanctions on ICC officials in 2020. President Biden revoked those sanctions, but Trump reinstated them upon returning to office last week, though the sanctions remain symbolically unenforced.

Despite the bill’s failure, the issue of the ICC’s investigations into alleged Israeli war crimes remains a highly contentious point of debate, highlighting deep divisions over international justice and the role of the ICC. The sheer scale of civilian casualties in the recent Gaza conflict (47,354 Palestinians killed, nearly the entire population displaced) fuels this contentious debate.

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