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McCaul Eyes Bill to Sanction International Criminal Court

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said May 22 he's exploring possible legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) for threatening to arrest two Israeli leaders.

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McCaul said he's working on the potential proposal with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.; Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.; and Senate colleagues.

McCaul made his comments during a hearing with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who reiterated he's willing to work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to provide an “appropriate response” to the ICC’s “totally wrongheaded” decision. Blinken made a similar statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee May 21 (see 2405210054).

The ICC prosecutor announced May 20 that he will seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders, for their conduct in the Gaza war. McCaul called the move “baseless” and “outrageous," and Johnson said he would consider punishing the court with sanctions.