Washington, DC – Democrats in the United States Senate have blocked the passage of a bill that would sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) over its issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The vote on Tuesday saw the bill gain 54 votes in favour and 45 opposed, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance to a final vote.
United Nations experts, European officials, and the current and former presidents of the ICC’s management body have all come out against the bill, warning it would set a dangerous precedent at a time of increased importance for the international legal order.
But many of the Democrats who voted against the measure still accused the court of taking unfair actions against Israel by issuing warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. The court simultaneously issued a warrant for Hamas commander Mohammed Deif for his role in the attack on October 7, 2023, against southern Israel.
