US imposes sanctions on two more ICC judges for targeting Israel

Secretary of State says judges moved to 'investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent'

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

The US on Thursday imposed sanctions on two more judges with the International Criminal Court, a move in support of Israel, whose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces an arrest warrant from the Hague tribunal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the judges, Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia and Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia, had this week voted against Israel's attempt to challenge an ICC investigation into alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.

"These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent, including voting with the majority in favour of the ICC’s ruling against Israel’s appeal on December 15," Mr Rubio said.

"The ICC has continued to engage in politicised actions targeting Israel, which sets a dangerous precedent for all nations."

Neither Israel nor the US are signatories to the Rome Statute that founded the ICC.

The ICC slammed the new sanctions, calling them a "flagrant attack" on the independence of an impartial judicial institution.

"When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk," the court said in a statement. "As previously stated, the Court stands firmly behind its personnel and behind victims of unimaginable atrocities. It will continue to carry out its mandate with independence and impartiality, in full accordance with the Rome Statute and in the interest of victims of international crimes."

The US in June placed sanctions on four judges at the court over their efforts to investigate or arrest American and Israeli citizens.

In addition to issuing the arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant, the court is investigating US troops over possible crimes committed during the war in Afghanistan.

Since 2021, the court has deprioritised looking into the role of the US but it has not ended its inquiry.

The ICC at the time condemned the sanctions 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".

In July, the US imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, over her efforts to have the ICC take action against US and Israeli officials, companies and executives.

Reuters reported last week that President Donald Trump's administration wants the ICC to amend its founding document to ensure it does not investigate the American leader and his senior officials, threatening new sanctions.

Imposing sanctions would significantly escalate the US campaign against the ICC, which has long been criticised by both Republicans and Democrats, who say the court infringes on their nation's sovereignty.