Donald Trump, President of the United States on Thursday signed an executive order authorising economic and travel sanctions against people who work on International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations of US citizens or US allies, such as Israel.
According to him, the ICC has “abused its power” by issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held talks with the US president on Tuesday and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant.
“The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel,” the order states, adding that the court had set a “dangerous precedent” with its actions against both countries.
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The ICC is a global court with the power to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
Over 120 countries, including the UK, are court members, but the US and Israel are not.
He ordered asset freezes and travel bans against ICC officials, employees and their family members, along with anyone deemed to have helped the court’s investigations.
Trump’s order said the tribunal had engaged in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel,” referring to ICC probes into alleged war crimes by US service members in Afghanistan and Israeli troops in Gaza.
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The Netherlands, the court’s host country, reacted to the statement saying it “regrets” Trump’s sanctions order.
“The court’s work is essential in the fight against impunity,” Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said on X.
TheCase Against Israel
The court pegged the time frame of committed crimes from at least October 8, 2023, until at least May 20 — the day the prosecution filed the applications for the warrants.
The ICC also found reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant acted as civilian superiors and intentionally directed attacks against a civilian population.
The court also issued a warrant for a Hamas commander.
Trump’s order accused the Hague-based ICC of creating a “shameful moral equivalency” between Hamas and Israel by issuing the warrants at the same time.
The administration said the ICC’s recent actions “set a dangerous precedent” that exposes Americans to “harassment, abuse and possible arrest”.
“This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel,” the order reads.
Meanwhile, countries and rights groups have condemned Trump’s proposition Caspar Veldkamp, the foreign minister of the Netherlands, has described the International Criminal Court’s work as “essential in the fight against impunity”.
“The Netherlands actively contributes to strengthening the international legal order and multilateral cooperation and will, in good faith, fulfil binding international law and treaty obligations,” he said.
Agnes Callamard, the chief of Amnesty International, a global rights group, has also condemned the decision, describing Trump’s order as “reckless”, “vindictive” and “aggressive”.
She said the US sanctions undermine the court’s “independent pursuit of international justice”.
“Governments around the world and regional organisations must do everything in their power to mitigate and block the effect of President Trump’s sanctions,” Callamard said.
“Through collective and concerted actions, ICC member states can protect the Court and its staff. Urgent action is needed, like never before,” she added.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office has welcomed President Trump’s executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its staff.
“Thank you, President Trump, for your bold ICC Executive Order. It will defend America and Israel from the anti-American and antisemetic corrupt court that has no jurisdiction or basis to engage in lawfare against us,” Netanyahu’s office said in posts on X.
“The ICC waged a ruthless campaign against Israel as a trial run for action against America. President Trump’s Executive Order protects the sovereignty of both countries and its brave soldiers. Thank you, President Trump,” he added.
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