An executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court (ICC) was signed by President Donald Trump, who claimed that the court was engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions” against the United States and Israel, a close ally.
Individuals and their families participating in ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or allies are subject to financial and immigration restrictions as a result of the order.
The directive was signed by Trump while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington.
Netanyahu was the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the ICC in November on allegations of war crimes in Gaza, which Israel disputes. Additionally, a warrant for a Hamas commander was issued by the court.
A White House fact sheet earlier Thursday denounced the ICC for issuing the warrants at the same time, so establishing a “shameful moral equivalency” between Israel and Hamas.
Trump’s executive order said the ICC’s recent actions “set a dangerous precedent” that endangered Americans by exposing them to “harassment, abuse and possible 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,” the order said.
It adds that “both nations [the US and Israel] are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war”.
The United States has always rejected the ICC’s jurisdiction against American authorities or people and does not have a membership in the organization.
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