The United States House of Representatives approved on Thursday a bill imposing sanctions on officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to their prosecutions against Israel. According to the New York Times, this decision is seen as a “direct attack on the Court,” following its intention to indict senior Israeli leaders for war crimes committed in Gaza.
Details of the bill
The bill, supported by Republicans, aims to freeze assets and deny visas to any foreign national involved in ICC investigations targeting American citizens or nationals of allied countries, including Israel. This measure had already been approved by the House of Representatives last year, but it was not passed by the Senate, then controlled by Democrats.
However, with the recent victory of Donald Trump and Republican control of both chambers of Congress, the bill is likely to be definitively adopted. This development marks a turning point in the relationship between the United States and the ICC, which has been strained for several years.
International context
Last November, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant , accusing them of war crimes in Gaza. The charges include the use of starvation as a weapon of war, as well as massacres, persecutions, and other inhumane acts.
These warrants have sparked strong reactions, particularly from the United States, which firmly supports Israel. The American bill is therefore seen as a direct response to these actions by the ICC, heightening tensions between international justice and the geopolitical interests of the United States.
Political implications
This decision by the House of Representatives raises questions about the independence of international justice and the influence of major powers on multilateral institutions. Critics argue that the sanctions risk undermining the credibility of the ICC and compromising its efforts to combat impunity for war crimes.
On the other hand, supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to protect the interests of the United States and its allies, particularly Israel, against what they consider to be unjust and politically motivated prosecutions.
The adoption of this bill by the House of Representatives marks a key step in the debate on the role of the ICC and international relations. With Republican control of Congress, this measure will likely
be quickly implemented, which could have major repercussions on international justice and global diplomacy
Editor’s note
The rogue regime in Yaounde of the Republic of Cameroon has been summoned equally at the ICC for crimes against humanity committed by the regime against Southern Cameroonians – Ambazonians who have suffered under the Yaounde repressive regime for over six decades and on whom the genocidal 93-year-old dictator Paul Biya declared a senseless war in 2017 that has claimed close to 60.000 innocent lives, burnt hundreds of villages, homes, and properties, sent more than a million into exile as refugees in neighbouring countries like Nigeria, Ghana, others going across the oceans to the United States of America, Europe and thousands languishing in jails across the Cameroons. It is the cry of these peace-loving justice-seeking people of the Southern Cameroons – Ambazonia that on taking office this January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump being a god-fearing leader should tackle the plight of these people who have suffered in bondage for 64 years and free them from bondage.
