Senate Leader-Elect Urges ICC to Drop Israel Arrest Warrants or Face Sanctions

Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on Nov. 17 urged the Senate to impose sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) if it continued to pursue arrest warrants for Israeli officials over the Israel–Hamas war in Gaza.
Thune said the Senate Republican majority will make the bill, along with other supportive legislation, “a top priority in the next Congress” should there be no action taken by outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
Khan also requested arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders over the killings and kidnappings that Hamas terrorists committed when they entered southern Israel during the attack.
Not all lawmakers opposed the ICC move.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in May that the ICC prosecutor was right to take these actions.
The Biden administration expressed concerns about Khan’s arrest warrant applications for Israeli officials but said that it “strongly opposes” imposing sanctions against the ICC as a response.
“There are more effective ways to defend Israel, preserve U.S. positions on the ICC, and promote international justice and accountability, and the Administration stands ready to work with the Congress on those options,” the White House stated.
Some Republican senators said they agreed with Thune’s position of imposing sanctions against the ICC over its arrest warrants for Israeli officials.
Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Senate should immediately pass the sanction legislation against the ICC.
Schumer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thune’s statement.
Khan said on Aug. 23 that the ICC had jurisdiction over the matter and asked the court to urgently decide on his request for arrest warrants.