Netanyahu and Vance to meet
Israeli PM plans to push passage of ICC sanctions bill in meetings on the Hill

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for meetings with U.S. officials on February 4, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added a meeting with Vice President J.D. Vance on Wednesday to his agenda during his trip to Washington this week, a source in Netanyahu’s entourage told Jewish Insider on Tuesday.
Netanyahu also plans to push senators in his meetings on the Hill on Thursday with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to pass a law sanctioning the International Criminal Court for issuing warrants against him and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
”The ICC is very urgent for us,” the source said. “We sent a clear message to congressional leaders and Netanyahu will be there in two days calling to pass [the bill]. He didn’t like that it was delayed. It’s very important for us to advance it.”
Netanyahu hopes that the bill “will slow down the ICC proceedings” against him and Gallant.
Senate Democrats — with the exception of Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) — voted to block the legislation last week, arguing that it was too broad and could hurt U.S. tech companies who do business with the court and allies around the world who are members of the ICC. Schumer said in a floor speech that the bill would have made it more difficult for the court to pursue Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, 10 Democratic senators who voted against the bill released a statement calling for “condemnation and severe consequences” for the ICC and its “anti-Israel actions,” including “sanctions on those … directly responsible,” and other senators made similar comments to JI.
Netanyahu’s meeting with Vance comes as part of Netanyahu’s effort to build relationships with the new power players in President Donald Trump’s orbit in his second term in office.
The prime minister and Trump plan to meet late on Tuesday afternoon, followed by a joint press conference and a working dinner. In a photo released by his office, Netanyahu can be seen preparing for the meeting with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer; his chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman; his new international affairs advisor, Caroline Glick; and his military secretary, Brig.-Gen. Roman Gofman.
Netanyahu also plans to go to the Pentagon to meet with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who also took part in Monday night’s meeting between Netanyahu and Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Netanyahu also met with Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk on Monday.
The prime minister will be leaving Blair House, the White House’s guest house, on Wednesday to stay in a nearby hotel until he returns to Israel on Saturday night.