Washington, Feb 7: President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the body of “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and its close ally Israel.” The order includes financial and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist the ICC in investigations involving American citizens or allies, according to BBC reports.
Trump’s action coincides with the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington. The ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last November over alleged war crimes in Gaza, a charge Israel denies. The court also issued a warrant for a Hamas commander. In response, a White House fact sheet criticized the ICC, accusing it of creating a “shameful moral equivalency” between Hamas and Israel.
Trump’s executive order describes the ICC’s recent actions as a “dangerous precedent” that jeopardizes Americans by exposing them to “harassment, abuse, and possible arrest.” It further claims that the ICC’s actions threaten U.S. sovereignty, undermining the national security and foreign policy of the U.S. and its allies, particularly Israel. The order highlights that both the U.S. and Israel are “thriving democracies” with militaries adhering to the laws of war.
The United States is not a member of the ICC and has consistently rejected any jurisdiction over American officials or citizens. The White House has also accused the ICC of restricting Israel’s right to self-defense while ignoring threats from Iran and anti-Israel groups.
Trump has been a vocal critic of the ICC, taking several measures to sanction the body during his first term. This included sanctions on ICC officials investigating potential U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan. These sanctions were later lifted by President Joe Biden’s administration.
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of further sanctions on the ICC, although the bill stalled in the Senate.
Founded in 2002 in the wake of the Yugoslavian conflict and the Rwandan genocide, the ICC was established to prosecute individuals for serious international crimes when national courts are unable or unwilling to do so. Over 120 countries have ratified the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, but both the U.S. and Israel have refused to become parties to the statute.
During his presidency, Joe Biden also criticized the ICC’s actions regarding Netanyahu, calling the arrest warrant “outrageous” and rejecting any moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s signing of the executive order follows remarks made earlier in the week during a joint press conference with Netanyahu, where he unveiled a plan for the U.S. to “take over” Gaza, resettle its Palestinian population, and turn the region into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The plan was met with condemnation from Arab leaders and the United Nations. Trump reiterated this vision on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, stating that the Gaza Strip would be turned over to the U.S. by Israel at the conclusion of hostilities.
As Netanyahu continues his Washington visit, he also met with members of both the Republican and Democratic parties on Capitol Hill and presented a golden pager to Trump. This gift was symbolic of Israel’s operation against Hezbollah in September, which involved booby-trapped communications devices, resulting in numerous casualties and injuries. While Israel asserts the operation targeted Hezbollah members, Lebanese officials claim civilians were among the victims.
