Trump condemned for ICC sanctions over Israel, US probes

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 "justice and hope" 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's investigations.

The sanctions could impact the court's 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 "abused its power" 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 "harm its independent and impartial judicial work".

"The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world," it said. 

The United Nations said it deeply regretted Trump's decision and urged him to reverse the move.

- 'Undermines' justice system -

"The court should be fully able to undertake its independent work -- where a state is unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution," UN human rights office OHCHR spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told AFP in an email.

"The rule of law remains essential to our collective peace and security. Seeking accountability globally makes the world a safer place for everyone."

Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council representing the EU's 27 member states, wrote on X that the move "undermines the international criminal justice system".

The European Commission separately expressed "regret", stressing the ICC's "key importance in upholding international criminal justice and the fight against impunity."

The executive order risks "affecting ongoing investigations and proceedings, including as regards Ukraine, impacting years of efforts to ensure accountability around the world," 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's prosecutor.

Trump's order said the tribunal had engaged in "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel," referring to ICC probes into alleged war crimes by US service members in Afghanistan and Israeli troops in Gaza.

Israel's foreign minister applauded Trump, calling the court's actions against Israel illegitimate.

"I strongly commend @POTUS President Trump's executive order imposing sanctions on the so-called 'international criminal court'," Gideon Saar wrote on X, adding that the ICC's actions were "immoral and have no legal basis".

Neither the United States nor Israel are members of the court.

- 'Criminal responsibility' -

Following a request by ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, judges issued arrest warrants on November 21 for Netanyahu, his former defence minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas's military chief Mohammed Deif -- whom Israel says is dead.

The court said it had found "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore "criminal responsibility" 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's 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's 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 "outrageous" warrant against Netanyahu in November.

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Originally published as Trump condemned for ICC sanctions over Israel, US probes