NEW YORK – The Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, which would impose visa and property sanctions against certain members of the International Criminal Court for investigating protected US officials or allies, could come to a vote in the US Congress as early as Thursday, according to a report from The Hill.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) reintroduced the bill on Monday after it failed to pass the Senate in a companion bill introduced by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). Republicans included the bill in the 119th House rules package.
Mast said the bill sends a “clear message” to the ICC.
“We may not recognize you, but you sure as hell will recognize what happens when you target America or its allies,” Mast said. “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’s morale.”
Questioning ICC's legitimacy
Roy described the ICC as an “illegitimate body” that is engaged in a “shameful lawfare campaign” against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Roy said he has full confidence that US President-elect Donald Trump will stand for Israel, as the legislation ensures no future administration will be able to “give the ICC a free pass to attack our allies like this.”The Jerusalem Post has asked Mast’s office for further information on when the vote will occur.
Later on Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson declared that the bill would be proposed over the course of the week.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.