Washington, MINA – 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 “unlawful and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
He argued that the court’s actions against Israel and the US had set a dangerous precedent, putting American personnel at risk of harassment, torture and arrest.
“This malign behavior in turn threatens to violate the sovereignty of the United States and undermine the vital national security and foreign policy work of the United States Government and our allies, including Israel,” he said.
Also Read: More Countries, Oganizations Oppose Trump’s Gaza Plan
The order would allow the US to impose significant penalties on ICC officials, including asset freezes and entry bans on them and their families, on national interest grounds.
In January, after Trump’s inauguration, the House of Representatives approved a bill to sanction the ICC, but the Senate did not take up the measure on January 28.
Netanyahu and former Defense 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 over its war in the enclave.
Also Read: UK Opposes Relocation of Palestinian Citizens from Gaza
Trump added that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the US or Israel, as neither country is a party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC.
“Neither country has ever recognized the ICC’s jurisdiction, and both are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war,” he wrote. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
Also Read: Worldwide Reject Trump’s Announcement to Take Control of Gaza
Mina Indonesia
Mina Arabic
Mina Sport