Trump issues sanctions against International Criminal Court

Palestinian ambassador to the UN tells The National that the US is guilty of double standards

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US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order imposing economic and travel restrictions on people who work for the International Criminal Court, in response to the tribunal issuing arrest warrants against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

The order states that the ICC has, without a legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations into people from the US and some of its allies, including Israel. The order says the ICC has issued "baseless arrest warrants" for Mr Netanyahu and Israeli former defence minister Yoav Gallant.

It did not name the targets of the sanctions, but said it would deny visas and issue sanctions against the assets of ICC officials and their families.

Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s ambassador to the UN, criticised the move. “I don't think that President Trump or any leader should interfere in the independence of any court, whether it is a domestic court or international court,” he told The National in an exclusive interview.

"The legal system is an independent branch of governing and if we start interfering in their affairs and compromising their integrity, then they lose the basis of being fair and being independent."

Mr Mansour accused the US of double standards, because it supported the court when it ruled against Russia over the war in Ukraine. “They were happy when it made certain pronouncements regarding Russia and now, when it came to making pronouncements with regards to Israel, they invoked the double standards,” he added.

“If it is working for our benefit, it is fine and dandy. If it is not, then we need to punish it, and punish the prosecutor and the judges, in essence, to try to contribute to discrediting it and destroying it.”

The executive order was announced during Mr Netanyahu's week-long visit to Washington, where he has met Mr Trump and US politicians. Mr Trump also issued sanctions against the ICC during his first term in office, after the court investigated alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan. In 2021, Joe Biden, who was president at the time, lifted the sanctions.

Last month, the US House passed a bill last to sanction the ICC, but Senate Democrats blocked it, saying it could backfire on US allies and firms. Still, movement on the Hill on Thursday suggested it might soon pass the Senate and become a law heading for Mr Trump's signature.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor on Thursday that Washington "could have had it done" if Republicans compromised on portions of the legislation they say will end up impacting US companies.

Senator Jeane Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a Thursday speech that it was "five words" that divided Republicans and Democrats on the bill.

"We're willing to come back to the table at any time, but we need to see a willingness to work together" to pass the ICC sanctions, Ms Shaheen added.

Ms Shaheen met Mr Netanyahu on Thursday and said afterwards that she shares "concerns about the way the ICC is operated. I think we should be able to come to an agreement, to a compromise on how this bill gets written."

The new sanctions legislation is much broader than the 2020 designation , threatening to more expansively impact the Court's financial standing.

The ICC has accused Mr Netanyahu of using starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing an attack against civilians, in addition to crimes against humanity in Gaza, where more than 47,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to health authorities in the enclave.

Israel's former defence minister Yoav Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are the subject of ICC arrest warrants. AFP