US President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on members of the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to a statement from the US government. The decree, signed by the President, targets ICC members involved in investigations against US citizens or allies of the United States. The sanctions include travel bans, which also apply to family members, as well as financial penalties.
The ICC, based in The Hague, is investigating several high-profile cases, including alleged war crimes committed by the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza. Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant and leading Hamas member Mohammed Deeb are among those wanted by the court.
Trump had previously imposed sanctions on the ICC in his first term, focusing on US war crimes. This time, he is accusing the ICC of abuse of power in the case of the warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The ICC is recognized by 125 countries worldwide, including Germany, which, in theory, would be obligated to enforce the warrant against Netanyahu if he were to visit the country. The United States, along with Israel and Russia, is not a party to the ICC’s Rome Statute, which established the court’s jurisdiction over crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.