US Ups Pressure on International Criminal Court with New Sanctions
WASHINGTON: On Thursday, the Trump administration announced sanctions against two judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC). This move comes as part of a broader campaign to exert pressure on the court over its investigations related to Israel.
In November 2024, the ICC judges issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense chief Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict.
To date, the Trump administration has sanctioned nine ICC judges and prosecutors. Officials have warned that they may target the entire court, which could severely impact its operations unless the charges against Israeli leaders are dropped.
Additionally, the U.S. government has demanded that the ICC cancel its investigation into U.S. troops in Afghanistan and adjust its rules to prevent prosecutions against Trump and his close aides.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “The ICC has politicized its actions against Israel, setting a dangerous precedent for all nations. We will not accept abuses of power that infringe upon the sovereignty of the U.S. and Israel.”
The recent sanctions specifically target ICC judges Gocha Lordkipanidze from Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin from Mongolia. Rubio emphasized that these judges were involved in attempts to investigate and prosecute Israeli nationals without Israel’s approval.
Earlier this year, the U.S. imposed similar sanctions on six other judges and the court’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, along with his two deputies. As a result of the sanctions, these judges are barred from traveling to the U.S. and cannot hold any assets there, complicating their daily financial activities.
Rubio highlighted that these judges participated in rejecting legal challenges from Israel regarding the ICC’s investigation of the Gaza war. The judges were part of a panel that upheld a decision allowing the prosecution to examine events following a deadly attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, 2023.
The ICC expressed disapproval of the new sanctions, marking this as the fourth round of measures imposed this year.
Israel Calls for Dismissal of Arrest Warrants
The ICC stated that these sanctions undermine the independence of a judicial institution, warning that such actions jeopardize the international legal framework.
While neither the U.S. nor Israel are members of the ICC, the Palestinian territories were granted membership in 2015. The ICC serves as the world’s permanent tribunal for war crimes, comprising 125 member states, including the entire EU, but not major powers like China, Russia, and the U.S.
The Netherlands, which is home to the ICC, also criticized the sanctions, emphasizing that international courts must operate without outside interference. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel reiterated on social media that “international courts and tribunals must be able to carry out their mandates without obstruction.”
