Trump Administration Sanctions ICC Judges For Targeting The United States And Israel

The United States announced that it will sanction four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for its “illegitimate actions” targeting both the United States and Israel.

The move comes after the court investigated American personnel in Afghanistan and issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“These individuals directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without consent from the United States or Israel,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Neither the United States nor Israel are members of the International Criminal Court.

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The judges being sanctioned are Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, both serving in the ICC Appeals Division, as well as Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia, who serve in the ICC Pre-Trial and Trial Division.

Bossa and Ibanez Carranza ruled to authorize the ICC’s investigation against American personnel in Afghanistan and Alapini Gansou and Hohler ruled to authorize the issuance of the ICC’s arrest warrants targeting Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, according to the State Department.

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“The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies,” Rubio added. “This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel.”

The sanctions were authorized by President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14203, issued in February, which allows sanctions on foreigners engaged in ICC efforts to “impose tangible and significant consequences on those directly engaged in the ICC’s transgressions against the United States and Israel.”

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“The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel, and any other U.S. ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC,” Rubio said.

Rubio concluded with a call for countries that support the ICC to “fight this disgraceful attack” on the United States and Israel, adding that many of the countries’ “freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices.”

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The sanctions require that all U.S.-based property and assets belonging to the judges be frozen and reported to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Any businesses or entities that are at least 50% owned by the sanctioned individuals are also blocked under the sanctions.

American citizens will also be prohibited from contributing funds, goods, or services for the benefit of any of the sanctioned individuals.