A group of influential Republican senators has sent a letter to International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan, warning him not to issue international arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, and threatening him with “severe sanctions” if he does so.
In a terse, one-page letter obtained exclusively by Zeteo, and signed by 12 GOP senators, including Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Florida’s Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz of Texas, Khan is informed that any attempt by the ICC to hold Netanyahu and his colleagues to account for their actions in Gaza will be interpreted “not only as a threat to Israel’s sovereignty but to the sovereignty of the United States.”
“Target Israel and we will target you,” the senators tell Khan, adding that they will “sanction your employees and associates, and bar you and your families from the United States.”
In their letter, the dozen Republican senators remind Khan that the U.S. “demonstrated in the American Service-Members’ Protection Act the lengths to which we will go to protect [its] sovereignty.”
The ASPA, signed into law by George W. Bush in 2002, has since become widely known as “The Hague Invasion Act” because it authorizes the U.S. president “to use all means necessary and appropriate” to bring about the release not just of U.S. persons but also allies who are imprisoned or detained by the ICC.
US didn’t “endorse” the ICC arrest warrant of Putin exactly for the same reason. They are not part of ICC, since half of their intelligence members and past presidents could be charged there for war crimes.
I know the US as a nation didn’t, but there were a lot of sentiments from individuals. That said my comment was of course intended to be a bit light hearted and humorous in nature.
Does ICC charge dead?
No. Like any court, they only deal with people physically in front of them.
Oh. I thought past presidents that could be charged with warcrimes implied long dead.
And side question: is it worth keeping those fossils alive to bring to ICC? The Old Rat is 71 and does not become younger.
What I meant was that if they were signatories to the Rome Statute at the time, actions they committed would quality for war crime charges.
As far as if it’s worth it? I would say yes. It would legitimize US in the global community. Right now everyone knows US is the biggest hypocrite on the world stage.