The Trump administration has announced a new round of sanctions targeting four additional members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over their involvement in cases seeking to prosecute Israeli and American officials.
Among those sanctioned is Judge Nicolas Yann Guillou of France, who last year approved arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Also included are deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal, both cited for supporting the warrants against the Israeli leaders.
Judge Kimberly Prost of Canada was also designated, following her ruling authorizing the ICC to move forward with its investigation into alleged actions by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.
These four officials now join another group of four ICC members who were sanctioned by the Trump administration in June, two of whom were likewise tied to the warrants targeting Netanyahu and Gallant.
The sanctions announced today will freeze any U.S.-based assets belonging to the designated officials and bar them from entering the country.
Both the U.S. and Israel have rejected the ICC’s pursuit of Israeli leaders, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction because Jerusalem is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC. Washington also maintains that the Palestinian Authority does not qualify as a sovereign state with the authority to request such prosecutions.
Israel has further denied all allegations against Netanyahu and Gallant.
“The United States has been clear and steadfast in our opposition to the ICC’s politicization, abuse of power, disregard for our national sovereignty, and illegitimate judicial overreach,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement announcing the latest designations.
“The court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel,” Rubio added.
“It remains the policy of the United States government to take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our troops, our sovereignty, and our allies from the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions,” Rubio continued. “I urge countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices, to resist the claims of this bankrupt institution.”
{Matzav.com}
