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Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court officials investigating the US and its allies like Israel, restoring a policy from its first mandate.
In an executive order signed on Thursday, the US president imposed financial sanctions and blocked visas for ICC employees and their families, in a move that coincided with the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington. The order also applies to officials investigating American citizens.
The White House did not immediately nominate the officials who were sanctioned.
The order says the court is a threat to the US “sovereignty” that “undermines critical national security and the country’s foreign policy work” and allies like Israel.
The ICC staff, who is “responsible” for the “court violations”, could raise their assets and they and their families could be blocked from entering the US
In November, ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his then Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant “for crimes against humanity and war crimes.”
The mass marked a dramatic escalation of legal procedures on Israel’s offensive in Gaza, which killed about 47,000 people, according to Palestinian officials-and marked the first time ICC issued an order for a West-backed leader.
The court also issued an order for the then Hamas leader Mohamed Deif for crimes against humanity and war crimes on the 7 October group attack on Israel that caused the Gaza conflict.
The White House said that “issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials and Hamas officials at the same time, ICC created a shameful moral equivalent.”
Trump’s executive order said “the recent ICC actions against Israel and the United States established a dangerous precedent”, and that Washington “unequivocally opposes and expects our allies to oppose any ICC action against the US or Israel.
Neither the US nor Israel are members of the court, or do not recognize its authority.
ICC did not immediately respond to a comment request.
Guarantees for Israeli officials forced ICC member states that include most European and Latin American countries, as well as some in Asia and Africa – to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they crossed their borders, although the court has no implementation mechanism.
Joe Biden’s White House condemned orders when they were issued. France, a member of the ICC and the US ally, said in November that Netanyahu could have immunity from the arrest because Israel was not a signator of the Rome Statute, who founded the court.
The independent court is located in the Netherlands and was established in 2002 to prosecute the perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Trump also took action against ICC officials in 2020, authorizing a freezing of property and blocking their family members to come to the US after the court began investigating alleged US actions in Afghanistan.
