Threats to cut off U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) came in fast and furious last week after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas signed the treaty to join the International Criminal Court.

On December 31, the day Abbas made his surprise announcement, a leading pro-Israel member of Congress called on the Obama administration to suspend aid to the PA. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican and the head of the House’s Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, said that Congress should “block funds to the PA and to any UN entity that recognizes a non-existent State of Palestine to make it clear to Abu Mazen that there will be consequences to his schemes at the United Nations and other international organizations like the International Criminal Court.” Senator Charles Schumer said “the P.A. should be reminded that the recent appropriations bill signed into law will restrict U.S. funding if they attempt to initiate an investigation through the ICC.”

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters n January 5 that the ICC bid could have “implications” for U.S. assistance, and that “Congress has a great deal of power in that regard.”

The statements are part of what promises to be a months-long dance between the U.S., Israel and the Palestinian Authority over the move to sign the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court. If the ICC accepts the PA’s application, Abbas would have the opportunity to file a war crimes case against Israel over settlement building or over the assault on Gaza. That would intensify the ongoing showdown between Israel and the U.S. and the Palestinian Authority. Israel has seized about $127 million in taxes that are normally remitted to the PA.