The International Criminal Court in the Netherlands. Photo: wiki commons.

JNS.org – Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers warned Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas that there will be consequences for his decision to join the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Calling the move a “destructive” decision, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) called on Congress to block funds to the PA and any U.N. body that recognizes Palestinian statehood.

“Congress must do everything in its power to block funds to the PA and to any U.N. entity that recognizes a non-existent State of Palestine to make it clear to Abu Mazen (Abbas) that there will be consequences to his schemes at the United Nations and other international organizations like the International Criminal Court,” Ros-Lehtinen said.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) called Abbas’s decision “deeply frustrating” and a move that set Israeli-Palestinian peace further back.

The U.S. provides roughly $400 million in annual funding to the PA.