US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order which seeks to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel, which is a close US ally. The International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, neither gets recognised by the US nor Israel.
The order signed by Trump accuses the ICC of engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel" and of abusing its power by issuing “baseless arrest warrants” against Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.
The order says that the US will impose “tangible and significant consequences” on those responsible for the ICC's “transgressions.” Actions may include blocking property and assets and not allowing ICC officials, employees and relatives to enter the United States.
Human rights activists said sanctioning court officials would have a chilling effect and run counter to US interests in other conflict zones where the court is investigating.
Both Israel and the US are not among the court's 124 members. The US has long harboured suspicions that a “Global Court” of unelected judges could arbitrarily prosecute US officials.
A 2002 law authorises the Pentagon to liberate any American or US ally held by the court. In 2020, Trump sanctioned chief prosecutor Karim Khan's predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, over her decision to open an inquiry into war crimes committed by all sides, including the US, in Afghanistan.
(With AP inputs)