The US government "strongly opposes" slapping sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) after its chief prosecutor sparked outrage in Washington by applying for arrest warrants for top Israeli as well as Hamas officials over the Gaza war.
The White House said Monday that while Washington was "deeply concerned about the ICC Prosecutor's heedless rush to apply for arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials," at the same time the government "opposes the imposition of sanctions against the ICC, its personnel, its judges, or those who assist its work."
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan announced last month that he was seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on allegations of war crimes.
Khan also requested arrest warrants against three top Hamas officials, accusing the leaders of the Palestinian militant group of responsibility in a range of brutal atrocities.
Washington's statement comes after a draft bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives to provide for sanctions and visa restrictions against foreign persons supporting the ICC's efforts to carry out certain investigations and prosecutions.
"There are more effective ways to defend Israel, preserve U.S. positions on the ICC, and promote international justice and accountability," the White House said.
The statement went on to say that "the Administration stands ready to work with the Congress on those options."
While many countries have signed and ratified the 2002 Rome Statute establishing the ICC, thus becoming states parties, Israel, the United States and Russia have all indicated that they do not intend to become states parties.
US President Joe Biden has said it was "outrageous" that an arrest warrant was being sought for Netanyahu, stressing that "there is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas."