Palmetto State News

U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), James Risch (R-Idaho), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and John Thune (R-South Dakota) have addressed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland seeking the Department of Justice's stance on the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) actions against Israel.

The Senators highlighted that the ICC has targeted Israel while failing to take action against nations such as China, Iran, and North Korea, which they claim routinely commit severe violations of international law.

"This action is especially troublesome considering the bipartisan conversation held between members of the Senate and Prosecutor Khan last month in which Khan assured senators that a complete and thorough investigation would be conducted before any action was taken," stated the Senators. "These assurances were untrue, and the decision to proceed so recklessly and rapidly cannot be justified in light of the ICC’s other investigations—such as the one into crimes against humanity in Venezuela—that have been under investigation for years."

The letter also noted that this action contradicts a fundamental principle of the ICC's founding statute. "The ICC’s conduct clearly violates the principle of complementarity," wrote the Senators. They referenced the Rome Statute's preamble, stating that "the ICC shall be ‘complementary to national criminal jurisdictions.’"

Concluding their letter, they emphasized the need for clarity from the Department of Justice on this issue: "Considering the Department of Justice’s role in protecting freedom and liberty, it is paramount that Congress understand the Department’s position regarding the ICC’s actions." They posed several questions including whether Prosecutor Khan had adequately considered complementarity in his request for warrants against Israeli leaders and if recognizing Palestine as a sovereign entity breaches precedent.

To read the full letter, click HERE.