Senator Marco Rubio Urges President Biden to Reject Potential ICC Anti-Israel Actions

US Senator Marco Rubio from Florida has taken a stand against potential International Criminal Court (ICC) actions targeting Israel. Alongside Senator Jacky Rosen and other legislators, Rubio has urged President Joe Biden to publicly reject any potential arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials.

The ICC is reportedly considering issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials for alleged international crimes, sparking outrage and concern among US lawmakers. ICC prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan has been investigating actions in the Palestinian Territories, leading to calls for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others.

In response, US Representative Brian Mast and other Republican Representatives have introduced legislation imposing sanctions on the ICC. Rubio’s letter to President Biden is the latest effort to counter the ICC’s potential actions, with bipartisan support from Senators Tim Scott, Joe Manchin, Chuck Grassley, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Dan Sullivan.

“It is outrageous that the ICC would make a political calculus to target Israel, which only further undermines the Court’s legitimacy and undercuts efforts to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” reads the letter from Rubio and his colleagues. They have called on President Biden to strongly oppose the ICC’s efforts and stand firmly with Israel.

If the ICC issues arrest warrants for Israeli officials, all 124 states part of the ICC would be legally obligated to extradite them if found within their jurisdictions. The pushback from US lawmakers reflects a growing concern over the potential consequences of the ICC’s actions and the need to protect Israel from what they see as overreach.