Panetta Voted to Obstruct International Justice
In the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust, the United Nations established institutions to hold nations and leaders accountable for crimes against humanity.
January 23, 2024
Rep. Panetta joined Republicans in signing a letter to “express our disgust” with South Africa’s filing of a “grossly unfounded case against Israel at the International Court of Justice”.
May 2024
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court presented evidence to the Court of crimes against humanity, seeking arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders. In response, Panetta voted with House Republicans on a resolution to sanction International Criminal Court officials, dismissing the court’s charges as “illegitimate and baseless”.
The evidence presented by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court was consistent with evidence by Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, and a UN report labeling Israeli and Hamas actions as “crimes against humanity.”
January 14, 2026
Panetta voted to prohibit the US from making its financial contribution to the international courts.
Trump's Campaign to "Disable" the International Criminal Court
On July 13, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a “campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court’s Threat to American Sovereignty.” Rubio’s goal is to " systematically disable the ICC’s ability to operate, target American servicemen or officials, or otherwise threaten American sovereignty.” Rubio’s announcement threatens to cut off assistance to countries "that refuse to reject the ICC’s false authority."
