The US Capitol Building. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

More than 260 members of the US House of Representatives joined a bipartisan call on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to step up efforts to halt an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into alleged American and Israeli war crimes.

In the letter to Pompeo spearheaded by Congresswoman Elaine Luria (D-VA) and Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI), the signatories noted that the ICC “is proceeding with its investigation of the United States and is considering a similar decision with respect to Israel even though neither the United States nor Israel are members of the ICC.”

The letter stated: “The ICC does not enjoy legitimate jurisdiction in these cases.”

The letter added that with “respect to the possible case against Israel, we are concerned that those pressing for action seek a court judgment in place of a negotiation process between Israelis and Palestinians.

It went on: “The ultimate sustainable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies in the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian direct negotiations in pursuit of a two-state solution — not in the pursuit of cases at the ICC. These cases distract from and undermine our efforts to get the parties back to the table.”

Rep. Luria said that the ICC’s actions were “another example of the international community’s disproportional attacks on Israel.”

Rep. Gallagher added that the “overwhelming, bipartisan response is a testament to how the ICC’s politicized actions involving both the United States and Israel threaten its intended purpose.”

Gallagher said he hoped Pompeo “heeds this call and works with our allies to end these politically-motivated investigations.”