WASHINGTON (Bernama-AA) – US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday sanctioning the International Criminal Court (ICC) for issuing an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported.
In his order, Trump accused the international court of engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally, Israel.”
He argued that the court’s actions against Israel and the US set a dangerous precedent, putting American personnel at risk of harassment, abuse, and arrest.
“This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States Government and our allies, including Israel,” he said.
According to the order, the US will be able to impose significant penalties on ICC officials, including asset freezes and entry bans for them and their families, citing national interests.
In January, following Trump’s inauguration, the House of Representatives approved a bill to sanction the ICC, but the Senate did not advance the measure on Jan 28.
Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant face arrest warrants issued by the Hague-based court in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
Trump added that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the US or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC.
“Neither country has ever recognised the ICC’s jurisdiction, and both nations are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war,” he wrote.
