Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to bring bipartisan legislation that would levy "crippling sanctions" against the International Criminal Court over its decision to pursue arrest warrants against Israel's leaders for war crimes.
Graham also led a bipartisan group of senators in a letter Tuesday condemning the ICC for moving against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Both Graham and Schumer were among the many lawmakers to strongly condemn the ICC after its announcement Monday, but Graham said it is time "to follow strong words with strong deeds."
"I completely agree with Senator Schumer's strong condemnation of the ICC's action against Israel today," Graham wrote in an X post Monday night. "However, it is now time to follow strong words with strong deeds.
"It is imperative that the Senate, in a bipartisan way, comes up with crippling sanctions against the ICC — not only to support Israel but to deter any future action against American personnel. ... This farce at the ICC needs to end," he added.
Graham and seven other senators released a joint statement Tuesday, denouncing the ICC for jeopardizing "efforts to bring about sustainable peace in the Middle East."
"It puts at risk sensitive negotiations to bring home hostages, including Americans, and surge humanitarian assistance," read the letter, co-signed by Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Jim Risch, R-Idaho; Katie Britt, R-Ala.; and John Thune, R-S.D.
"The application for arrest warrants also draws a false equivalence between Israel with its longstanding commitment to the rule of law, and Hamas' theocratic, autocratic, and unaccountable rule over Gaza. To state the obvious: Israel is a functioning democracy, while Hamas is a terrorist organization," the senators wrote.
For his part, Schumer took to the Senate floor Monday to call ICC Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan's decision "reprehensible," saying it reflects the court's "deep bias" against Israel.
"This decision, suggesting an equivalency between Israel and Hamas is another glaring example of that bias against Israel," he added.
Graham and the senators hit that note, too.
"Acting today without engaging the Israeli government on these specific concerns calls into question the unbiased approach ICC investigations are supposed to have," they wrote.
"We will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to strenuously object to the ICC's actions against our ally, Israel, and take appropriate steps to help Israel and protect American personnel from future ICC action."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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