Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has called for a strong response against any U.S. allies that might cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in enforcing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC issued the warrants on charges of targeting Gaza’s civilian population during recent conflicts.
The U.S., which is not an ICC member, dismissed the warrants as “outrageous,” with Senator Graham denouncing any enforcement by ICC member nations. Speaking on Fox News’ Hannity, he warned, “If any nation aids the ICC in arresting Netanyahu or Gallant, I’ll push for sanctions against them. You’ll have to choose between the rogue ICC and America.”
Read more: ICC Issues Arrest Warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu Over Alleged Gaza War Crimes
Graham, collaborating with Senator Tom Cotton, is working on legislation to sanction any country that facilitates the arrest of Israeli politicians. He emphasized the broader implications, stating, “We’ll target your economy because this could be used against us next. What’s to stop them from going after Trump or any U.S. president?”
Several U.S. allies, including Canada, Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands, have indicated they will honor the ICC’s ruling. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed his country’s obligation to abide by international law. Graham, however, explicitly warned these nations, saying, “If you help the ICC, we’ll sanction you.”
Sanctions fall under the executive branch’s jurisdiction, but the upcoming Trump administration shares Graham’s disdain for the ICC. Incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz called the ICC’s actions biased and promised a strong response, accusing the court of harboring anti-Semitic biases. During his first term, former President Trump had imposed sanctions on ICC officials investigating alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan.
