U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) on Jan. 3 signed on as the lead original cosponsor of a GOP-led bill that would sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) for targeting Israel, among several other provisions.
“Our bill sends a clear message to the International Criminal Court — We may not recognize you, but you sure as hell will recognize what happens when you target America or its allies,” said Rep. Bost, chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The congressman introduced the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, H.R. 23, alongside 29 Republicans, including bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) and fellow cosponsors including U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and Steve Womack (R-AR).
If enacted, H.R. 23 would sanction any individual working to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute American citizens or an official from an allied U.S. country, including Israel, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Mast’s staff.
“The ICC’s attempt to obstruct Israel’s right to defend itself has only prolonged the war and prevented the release of American hostages by boosting Hamas’ morale,” Rep. Mast said.
Additionally, the bill would cover officials from NATO and major non-NATO countries, including Israel, Japan, and Taiwan, the summary says.
As part of the sanctions imposed by H.R. 23, ICC officials and their immediate family members would be denied visas to enter the United States. ICC officials already in the country would have their existing visas revoked and face deportation.
H.R. 23 also would cover not just ICC employees and their families, but also individuals providing “financial, material, or technological support” to the organization, according to the bill’s text.
The measure also would find that the ICC’s actions against Israel, including the preliminary examination and investigation of Israel and issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli officials, are illegitimate and baseless and create a damaging precedent that threatens the U.S., Israel, and all U.S. partners who have not consented to the ICC’s jurisdiction, the text says.
The bill has been referred to Rep. Mast’s committee for consideration, as well as the U.S. House Appropriations Committee and the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.