Rabat – US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The court accused Netanyahu of committing war crimes over Israeli forces’ genocidal war on Gaza, which has so far claimed the lives of over 62,000 Palestinians. The death toll continues to increase as rescue teams recover more bodies.
Trump’s order calls the court’s actions “illegitimate and baseless” and says it is unfairly targeting Israel and the US. It states that the ICC has “no jurisdiction” over the two countries and is setting a “dangerous precedent.”
The sanctions will include freezing assets and banning ICC officials, employees, and their families from entering the US. There will be “tangible and significant consequences” for those involved in the court’s actions, it states.
The ICC released a statement condemning the issuance of the US executive order “seeking to impose sanctions on its officials and harm its independent and impartial judicial work.”
“The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all Situations before it,” added the statement.
The court urged all its 125 States Parties, civil society, and all countries to “stand united for justice and fundamental human rights.”
Trump signed the order after Netanyahu’s visit to Washington this week. The Israeli leader met with Trump at the White House and later held a joint press conference.
During the conference, Trump said the US intends to “take over” Gaza, level it, and create what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
He previously suggested moving over one million Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries, including Egypt and Jordan, to rebuild the strip. Jordan and Egypt strongly rejected the proposal.
