US imposes sanctions on four ICC judges

Trump administration retaliates over investigations of Americans and Israelis for alleged crimes in Afghanistan and Gaza

The International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Netherlands. AP

The US on Thursday placed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court because of their efforts to investigate or arrest American and Israeli citizens.

The unprecedented move comes as retaliation over the ICC'S investigation into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan and the court's arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant.

The ICC condemned the move as a "clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution ... [that] provides justice and hope to millions of victims of unimaginable atrocities".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked US President Donald Trump and his top diplomat on Friday for the move.

"Thank you President Trump and Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio for imposing sanctions against the politicised judges of the ICC," Mr Netanyahu wrote on social media. "You have justly stood up for the right of Israel, the United States and all democracies to defend themselves against savage terror."

The four judges are: Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

Mr Bossa and and Ms Ibanez Carranza ruled to authorise the ICC’s investigation against US personnel in Afghanistan.

Ms Alapini Gansou and Ms Hohler ruled to authorise the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants against Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant.

"As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. "The ICC is politicised and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies."

In February, The Hague-based court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, was placed on Washington’s list of “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons", barring him from doing business with Americans and placing restrictions on his entry into the US.

Mr Khan stepped aside last month pending an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.

Neither the US nor Israel recognises the ICC, which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu for alleged war crimes over his military response in Gaza after the Hamas-led attack against Israel in October 2023. Israel strongly denies the allegations.