The speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said Congress plans to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He warned that, if the ICC prosecutes Israeli officials, “we know that America will be next”.
This came after ICC chief Prosecutor Karim Khan applied for arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, plans to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He warned that, if the ICC prosecutes Israeli officials, "we know that America will be next".
Rejecting international law, he said the US and Israel "don't… pic.twitter.com/BYVhoYlxDP
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) May 28, 2024
Republican Representative Johnson, the most powerful person in the House, blasted the ICC in a press conference on May 23.
“America should punish the ICC and put Karim Khan back in his place”, he insisted.
“If the ICC is allowed to threaten Israel’s leaders, we know that America will be next”, Johnson cautioned.
The top Congressional official proceeded to reject the very basis of international law.
“There is a reason that we’ve never endorsed the International Criminal Court, because it is a direct affront to our own sovereignty”, Johnson said.
“We don’t put any international body above American sovereignty, and Israel doesn’t do that either”, he explained.
“Congress is reviewing all of our options right now”, Johnson continued. “We have some very aggressive legislation that we’re going to push as as quickly as possible. It will impose sanctions”.
“And if the ICC moves forward with its absurd warrant request, this is going to be an even bigger international problem”, threatened the senior US official.
Johnson is a staunch conservative and ally of Donald Trump, but top Democrats have also attacked the ICC.
President Joe Biden blasted the ICC’s accusations against top Israeli officials as “outrageous”.
Asked by a far-right Republican lawmaker if the Democratic administration would be willing to collaborate to impose sanctions on the Hague, Secretary of State Antony Blinken cheerily said in a Senate hearing, “We want to work with you on a bipartisan basis to find an appropriate response”.
Johnson’s GOP colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham, also threatened the ICC, complaining that “if they’ll do this to Israel, we’re next!”
“What I hope to happen is that we level sanctions against the ICC for this outrage, to not only help our friends in Israel, but to protect ourself over time”, Graham insisted.
US threatens ICC, warning ‘if they [prosecute] Israel, we’re next!’
Siggi
2024-05-28 at 08:32
Very understandable US political leaders fear the ICC… given the war – mongering nation this is (and has been ever since it was founded in 1776). On the other hand the ICC should have issued these arrest warrants against the Zionist ministers a long time ago. Hopefully though the ICC staff will not break under threats from the US due to all this process, just shows the blatant double standards and hypocrisy by the so – called ,,civilised” West when it comes to these matters. Regards
Ziggy
2024-05-28 at 18:27
No surprise the US is afraid of the ICC going after the Zionist state due to its terrifying Srebrenica – campaign against the people in the Gaza – strip. And also US political leaders know that they themselves are not innocent when it comes to this, and that is why they use blatant threats to tell the ICC to ,,bail down,” given the war – mongering history of the US of A, a country that has been at war almost all the time since its foundation in 1776.
JonnyJames
2024-05-29 at 10:23
The twisted logic here is if the US is subject to the rule of law, it is a violation of “American sovereignty”. The US can mass murder and genocide whoever it wishes to. (Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Ukraine, Palestine…)
The US routinely ignores it’s own constitution, legislation, and/or formalizes previously illegal activities.
US politicians have threatened to arrest, bomb or kill anyone who gets in the way of Full Spectrum Dominance. (ask Ed Snowden)
Another example: Julian Assange is still being tortured in a max. sec. prison, while Tony Blair and Bush Jr. are lauded as senior statesmen and showered with money. Rule of law? British and American justice?
Dfnslblty
2024-06-02 at 14:59
¿Just what does the usa think it is,That it is able to sanction these int’l bodies?