International Criminal Court Condemns Trump Sanctions

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday condemned President Donald Trump after he signed an executive order restoring sanctions against it, punishing that elite international body and its senior officials if they try to pursue Americans or U.S. allies.

The order accuses the ICC of having “engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions” targeting the U.S. and its “close ally” Israel, and said the court has “abused its power” by issuing “baseless” arrest warrants targeting Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and its former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, thus equating them with Hamas terrorists.

As Breitbart’s Joel Pollak reported, the order came during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, DC, and would have been a welcome gesture, given threats by some western nations — even Canada — to arrest him based on the ICC warrant.

The ICC issued its statement in response to Trump and called on its 125 member states to support its staff.:

The ICC condemns the issuance by the US of an Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on its officials and 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, in all Situations before it.

We call on our 125 States Parties, civil society and all nations of the world to stand united for justice and fundamental human rights.

The Trump ICC order includes financial and travel sanctions against the organisation and its officials, and family members, who are found to have assisted in investigations into U.S. citizens and allies.

In June 2020, Trump issued Executive Order 13928, slapping sanctions on ICC officials who attempted to investigate U.S. soldiers — and soldiers of allied countries — for military actions against terrorists.

Biden revoked Trump’s order shortly after taking office. Biden and the Democrats, proclaiming “America is back,” sought to cultivate international goodwill by giving the ICC credibility and power.

The U.S. and Israel are not members of the court which is based in The Hague, Netherlands, but more than 120 countries are, including the UK and many European nations.

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