WASHINGTON 

A US lawmaker criticized House Republicans on Thursday who are trying to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) when there is a natural disaster in the state of California.

"Of all the ways that Republicans have shown this country how messed up and backwards their priorities are, I have to say that this bill that we debating today to sanction the International Criminal Court, the ICC, this really takes the cake.

"We have a natural disaster unfolding in California right this second, as 100,000 people are fleeing a climate change-driven fire that's burning up entire neighborhoods," Jim McGovern said on the floor of the House of Representatives.

His remarks came as the House is considering legislation to sanction ICC officials involved in seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

McGovern stressed that there are more than 40 million hungry people in the US. "All those challenges, and this is what the out of touch, elitist billionaire Republican Party wants to waste time on sanctioning the ICC," he said.

Noting Netanyahu has an "absolute right" to defend his people, McGovern said there is no international right to vengeance.

"And what we are seeing in Gaza is vengeance. I mean, where is our humanity? Have we just given up on the idea of human rights? At least 45,000 people have been killed in the war in Gaza, and I fear that number is much higher," he added.

The congressman said he believes Israelis deserve security, peace and safety.

"But turning a blind eye to what is happening in Gaza and saying that all these civilian casualties are somehow okay, in my opinion, does not make Israel more safe. It makes Israel less safe, less secure. Sanctioning and attacking the ICC is not only bad for Israel, my colleagues, it's bad for the United States. It's bad for the world," he stressed.

The Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 46,000 victims, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The ICC issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.