The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on four judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC), intensifying a diplomatic clash over recent decisions by the tribunal targeting US and Israeli officials, according to AFP.
The sanctions are a direct response to the ICC’s arrest warrant issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its ongoing investigation into alleged war crimes committed by US forces in Afghanistan. The punitive measures include travel bans and the freezing of any US-based assets belonging to the judges.
“The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel, and any other US ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
He also criticised nations that continue to support the court. “I call on the countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices, to fight this disgraceful attack on our nation and Israel,” Rubio added.
The ICC swiftly responded, condemning the sanctions as a threat to its legitimacy and independence. “These measures are a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe,” the court said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed the move in a post on social media, praising US leadership for defending Israel against what he described as biased legal action.
Thank you, President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio, for imposing sanctions against the politicised judges of the ICC. You have justly stood up for the right of Israel,” he said.
Human Rights Watch denounced the sanctions, arguing they are intended to intimidate the court and obstruct accountability for serious violations. “The sanctions aim to deter the ICC from seeking accountability amid grave crimes committed in Israel and Palestine and as Israeli atrocities mount in Gaza, including with US complicity,” said Liz Evenson, the group’s international justice director.
Among those sanctioned are Beti Hohler of Slovenia and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin, both involved in the deliberations that resulted in the ICC issuing an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. The court said it had “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were criminally liable for war crimes, including using starvation as a weapon during military operations in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
The other two judges—Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru and Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda—were part of the panel that approved an investigation into alleged war crimes by US personnel in Afghanistan.
ICC treaty established in 2002
Neither Israel nor the United States is a member of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC in 2002. However, many US allies, such as the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea, are signatories and could be legally bound to cooperate with the court, including executing arrest warrants.
The sanctions mark a return to the combative stance of the Trump administration, which previously targeted ICC officials over the Afghanistan probe. Those measures were rescinded during President Joe Biden’s tenure, as his administration shifted to a more cooperative relationship with the court, especially in supporting investigations of Russian actions in Ukraine.
