The House of Representatives recently passed Representative Brian Mast's (R-FL) bill sanctioning members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for targeting Israel as the Jewish State destroys Hamas by a vote of 247 in favor to 155 opposed. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), together with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and others, praised the bill's passage in a joint statement and urged the passage of its Senate companion.
"We are very pleased Speaker Johnson moved forward with sanctions against the International Criminal Court for the outrageous actions against the State of Israel," Sen. Rubio and Sen. Graham said.
Additionally, they pointed out that because the House bill passed with bipartisan support, little reason exists for the Senate not to pass it. Thus, "we urge Senate Democratic Leader Schumer to immediately bring this legislation to the floor for a vote in the Senate."
Moreover, Sen. Rubio suggested that the ICC would not stop with Israel and soon seek to arrest United States officials and military personnel.
"Without strong action now, it is our opinion that the ICC will eventually come after U.S. personnel. It is Israel today and the United States tomorrow. We must stand firmly against the ICC in order to protect our own forces in future conflicts," Rubio's statement concluded.
Rep. Mast, who led the bill in the House, said, "Our legislation sends a clear message to the International Criminal Court: We may not recognize you, but you sure as hell will recognize what happens when you target America or its allies."
The ICC first issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials early in May, which was met with hostility by many Republicans and some Democrats.
Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) called it "the most absurd and ridiculous thing I have ever seen," while Rubio led a bipartisan effort to urge President Biden to reject the ICC's potential actions shortly after.
Representative Aaron Bean (R-FL) went as far as to suggest the ICC has been "infiltrated by Hamas to sway public opinion against Israel." At the same time, Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), both Jewish Americans, called the warrants "outrageous."
