Sen. Lindsey Graham threatens to sanction US allies backing ICC arrest warrants

A Republican US senator has threatened American allies with sanctions if they abide by the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant.

Lindsey Graham’s threat came after the ICC announced in a landmark move on Thursday that its 124 member nations had issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for “war crimes and crimes against humanity” over Israel’s genocidal war on Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

“To any ally, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, if you try to help the ICC, we’re going to sanction you,” Graham told Fox News in an interview.

“If you are going to help the ICC as a nation and force the arrest warrant against Bibi and Gallant, the former defense minister, I will put sanctions on you as a nation,” the 69-year-old South Carolina senator said.

“You’re gonna have to pick the rogue ICC versus America,” he added.

Graham also underlined that he was “working with Tom Cotton” on an act that would sanction any nation who aided in the arrest of “any politician in Israel.”

Senator Cotton, whose country is not a member of the ICC, threatened military action against the Hague-based court on Friday after it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

The Republican senator from Arkansas said the ICC is a “kangaroo court” and the warrants against the two Israeli officials are “outlaw.”

US senator threatens military action against ICC over Netanyahu indictment

Tom Cotton has threatened military action against the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Following the issuance of the arrest warrants, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa had an obligation to uphold the writs, as did leaders in Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and other American allies in Europe, including France and the UK.

However, the administration of outgoing US President Joe Biden swiftly rejected the ICC’s decision, with White House spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, expressing “deep concern.”

The entire Gaza has been subject to a US-backed genocidal war by the Israeli regime since last October that has claimed the lives of more than 44,100 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded over 104,000 others so far.

The US provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion in military aid annually, and the Biden administration has authorized $14 billion in additional assistance to its ally since the war began.

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