US senators threaten the ICC to block arrest warrant on Israeli officials over the war in Gaza
Republican US senators have warned International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan against issuing arrest warrants against several Israeli officials including, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, threatening the Court with heavy sanctions.
According to a threatening letter sent by 12 Republican senators, including Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, to ICC prosecutor.
The letter to Attorney General Karim Khan claimed that if he issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, the situation would be interpreted as a threat not only to Israel’s sovereignty, but also to the sovereignty of the United States and would result in heavy sanctions.
The letter threatened ICC prosecutor with the words, “If you target Israel, we will target you”.
The US senators threatened that they would “sanction Khan’s employees and associates, and bar the attorney general and his family from entering the United States”.
The senators concluded their letter to the ICC prosecutor with the words “You have been warned”.
On Friday, the International Criminal Court called for an end to attempts to undermine its independence, obstruct, intimidate or influence its officials.
Recently, Israeli media reported that the ICC may issue international arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi for practices during the war on the Gaza Strip.
On April 30, Netanyahu appealed to so-called “leaders of the free world” to work to prevent international arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israeli officials.
