Trump condemned for ICC sanctions over Israel, US probes

The International Criminal Court slammed sanctions Friday slapped by US President Donald Trump over its probes targeting America and Israel and pledged to press on with its aim to fight for 鈥渏ustice and hope鈥� around the world. (AP/File)
Short Url
  • The sanctions could impact the court鈥檚 technical and IT operations, including evidence gathering
  • There are fears victims of alleged atrocities may hesitate to come forward

THE HAGUE: The International Criminal Court slammed sanctions Friday slapped by US President Donald Trump over its probes targeting America and Israel and pledged to press on with its aim to fight for 鈥渏ustice and hope鈥� around the world.
The United Nations and the European Union also urged Trump on Friday to reverse the decision ordering asset freezes and travel bans against ICC officials, employees and their family members, along with anyone deemed to have helped the court鈥檚 investigations.
The sanctions could impact the court鈥檚 technical and IT operations, including evidence gathering. There are fears victims of alleged atrocities may hesitate to come forward.
Trump signed an executive order Thursday saying the court in The Hague had 鈥渁bused its power鈥� by issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held talks with the US president on Tuesday.
The ICC said the move sought to 鈥渉arm its independent and impartial judicial work.鈥�
鈥淭he Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world,鈥� it said.
The United Nations said it deeply regretted Trump鈥檚 decision and urged him to reverse the move.
鈥淭he court should be fully able to undertake its independent work 鈥� where a state is unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution,鈥� UN human rights office OHCHR spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told AFP in an email.
鈥淭he rule of law remains essential to our collective peace and security. Seeking accountability globally makes the world a safer place for everyone.鈥�
Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council representing the EU鈥檚 27 member states, wrote on X that the move 鈥渦ndermines the international criminal justice system.鈥�
The European Commission separately expressed 鈥渞egret,鈥� stressing the ICC鈥檚 鈥渒ey importance in upholding international criminal justice and the fight against impunity.鈥�
The executive order risks 鈥渁ffecting ongoing investigations and proceedings, including as regards Ukraine, impacting years of efforts to ensure accountability around the world,鈥� said a commission spokesman.
The names of the individuals affected by the sanctions were not immediately released, but previous US sanctions under Trump had targeted the court鈥檚 prosecutor.
Trump鈥檚 order said the tribunal had engaged in 鈥渋llegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel,鈥� referring to ICC probes into alleged war crimes by US service members in Afghanistan and Israeli troops in Gaza.
Israel鈥檚 foreign minister applauded Trump, calling the court鈥檚 actions against Israel illegitimate.
鈥淚 strongly commend @POTUS President Trump鈥檚 executive order imposing sanctions on the so-called 鈥榠nternational criminal court鈥�,鈥� Gideon Saar wrote on X, adding that the ICC鈥檚 actions were 鈥渋mmoral and have no legal basis.鈥�
Neither the United States nor Israel are members of the court.
Following a request by ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, judges issued arrest warrants on November 21 for Netanyahu, his former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas鈥檚 military chief Mohammed Deif 鈥� whom Israel says is dead.
The court said it had found 鈥渞easonable grounds鈥� to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore 鈥渃riminal responsibility鈥� for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare during the Gaza war, as well as the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.
Netanyahu has accused the court of anti-Semitism.
During his first term, Trump imposed financial sanctions and a visa ban on the ICC鈥檚 then prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, and other senior officials and staff in 2020.
His administration made the move after Gambian-born Bensouda launched an investigation into allegations of war crimes against US soldiers in Afghanistan.
While his order at the time did not name Israel, Trump administration officials said they were also angered by Bensouda鈥檚 opening of a probe into the situation in the Palestinian territories in 2019.
President Joe Biden lifted the sanctions soon after taking office in 2021.
Prosecutor Khan later effectively dropped the US from the Afghan investigation and focused on the Taliban instead.
Biden strongly condemned the 鈥渙utrageous鈥� warrant against Netanyahu in November.