The International Criminal Court, ICC, on Friday condemned an executive order signed by United States President Donald Trump imposing punitive sanctions.
The ICC countered that the order sought to harm its independent and impartial judicial work.
DAILY POST reports that the court was established by the Rome Statute, negotiated within the United Nations, but it is a fully independent court set up to try the gravest crimes, including crimes against humanity.
According to Thursday’s executive order, the U.S. government would impose tangible and significant consequences on ICC officials who work on investigations that threaten the national security of the U.S. and its allies, including Israel.
The order follows the ICC judges’ decision in November to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of alleged war crimes related to the conduct of the war with Hamas in Gaza.
The ICC also issued a warrant for a former Hamas commander, Mohammed Deif.
DAILY POST reports that neither the U.S. nor Israel recognizes the ICC’s jurisdiction. There are 125 state parties to the Rome Statute, which came into effect in 2002.
The U.S. executive order stated that the ICC’s actions against Israel and preliminary investigations against the U.S. set a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former personnel.
The order details possible sanctions, including the blocking of property and assets of ICC officials and barring them and their families from entering the U.S.