Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague have decided to permit 70 states and civil society organizations to file amendments and appeals supporting Israel. According to Keshet, these amendments argue that the ICC oversteps its authority in ruling on Israeli citizens.
This decision delays the announcement of a verdict on the request for an arrest warrant by at least two and a half months.
The United States and Germany are among the countries planning to appeal. Notably, the United States is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize its authority.
Countries wishing to appeal must do so by August 6, after which the appeals process will commence. Even if all appeals are rejected, the process is expected to take between 8 and 11 weeks.
On June 5, the US House of Representatives passed a bill to impose sanctions on the ICC if arrest warrants are issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant. The bill, initiated by Republicans and supported by 247 congressmen, including 42 pro-Israel Democrats, prohibits court employees involved in the case from entering the United States. The bill faced opposition from 155 Democrats.
