The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been accused of abusing Israel and the United States by President Donald Trump by imposing sanctions on it.
Late on Thursday, the US leader signed an executive order imposing financial and visa restrictions on ICC employees and those who assist ICC investigations against the US and its allies.
According to the White House, the ICC is accused of “illegitimate and baseless actions against America and our close ally Israel”.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, traveled to the US as a result of the move. Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, a senior Hamas official, and a former Israeli Defense Minister were all wanted by the ICC for their involvement in the Gaza war in November.
Trump’s order stated The Hague-based court had “abused its power” by issuing the warrants for the Israelis.
Israel is described as a “democratic state whose military strictly adheres to the laws of war,” according to the White House.
The International Criminal Court’s actions against Israel and the United States “set a dangerous precedent,” the statement continued, accusing the ICC of “malign behavior that threatens to violate American sovereignty and undermine national security and foreign policy.”
Prior to the sanctions being issued during Trump’s first term, the names of the individuals who were the subject of the sanctions were not immediately made public. However, previous sanctions against the prosecutor and her aide, who conducted an ICC investigation into alleged war crimes committed by US troops in Afghanistan, were issued during Trump’s first term.
The ICC stated that the order is intended to “harm its independent and impartial judicial work” and that it will continue to “provide justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities around the world.”
“We call on our 125 States Parties, civil society and all nations of the world to stand united for justice and fundamental human rights”, it added.
Around the world, there were also alarming voices out there.
Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, claimed that the sanctions “undermine the entire international criminal justice system.”
Sanctioning the ICC undermines the Court’s independence and undermines the entire international criminal justice system. https://t.co/zk0lsnB1p0
The Netherlands, the ICC’s host country, said it “regrets” the order, declaring that the court’s work is “essential in the fight against impunity”. Amnesty International labelled the move “reckless”.
Following Netanyahu’s White House visit, during which Trump announced a plan to “take over” Gaza and send Palestinians to other Middle Eastern nations, the sanctions serve as a show of support.
According to the UN and legal experts, the plan would violate international law. The governing Rome Statute of the ICC also prohibits forced displacement.
The 125-member ICC is a permanent court with the authority to prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and acts of aggression against their own citizens.
The US, China, Russia and Israel are not members.
Source: Aljazeera
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