Trump Sanctions International Criminal Court accusing it to be a “shameful moral equivalency” undermining the U.S National Security and Sovereignty. Image credit: Euronews
(The Post News) – In Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing for financial and visa sanctions against those involved in ICC investigations targeting US citizens, their allies, and Israel. The order was signed during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, following the ICC’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Netanyahu last November on alleged war crimes in Gaza. A warrant was also issued for a Hamas commander. Israel has denied the charges.
A White House memo accused the ICC of drawing a “shameful moral equivalency” between Hamas and Israel by issuing warrants simultaneously. The executive order states that the ICC’s actions “set a dangerous precedent” and could expose American officials to “harassment, abuse, and possible arrest.”
The order claims that the ICC impedes US sovereignty and national security, stating, “The United States and Israel are thriving democracies with militaries that respect the rule of law in all respects, including with respect to the laws of war.”
The Netherlands, where the ICC is based, condemned the sanctions. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp stated that the court’s work was “crucial in the fight against impunity.” European Council President Antonio Costa warned on social media that Trump’s sanctions “threaten the Court’s independence and undermine the international criminal justice system.”
Human rights organizations criticized the move, with Amnesty International describing it as “reckless.” Egypt and Jordan warned that the sanctions could further destabilize the region.
Trump’s executive order comes as he promotes a contentious plan to reshape Gaza. Speaking alongside Netanyahu, Trump suggested that Israel should transfer control of the Gaza Strip to the United States after the war and resettle Palestinians elsewhere. After international outcry, Trump reiterated on Truth Social, “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the end of fighting.”
Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz ordered the military to develop a plan for the “voluntary relocation” of Gaza residents by land, sea, and air. The Israeli military offensive in Gaza has killed over 61,000 people, according to the Gaza Government Media Office, with thousands more missing and presumed dead.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks against Israel killed at least 1,139 people and took hostage more than 200. Families continue to search for missing loved ones under the rubble at al-Shifa Hospital, the Gaza Strip’s largest public health facility, after repeated bombardment by Israeli forces.
The US is not a member of the ICC and has opposed its jurisdiction over American personnel. Trump previously sanctioned ICC officials probing alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan. Those sanctions were lifted by President Joe Biden’s administration but have now been revived in a more far-reaching form.
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