The International Criminal Court has fiercely condemned President Trump’s executive order imposing sanctions, asserting that the move aimed to undermine the court’s ‘independent and impartial judicial work.’ Key European allies of the United States have distanced themselves from his decision as well. Trump’s order on Thursday threatens ‘tangible and significant consequences’ for individuals working on investigations that threaten the national security of the United States and its allies, including Israel. Last November, the court issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, and the former defense minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza. This has sparked backlash from the U.S. and Israel. The court also issued an arrest warrant for a Hamas leader, Muhammad Deif. The court reaffirmed its commitment to its staff and vowed ‘to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world.’ Established under a treaty in 1998, the court has jurisdiction over war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. Yet, there are those in Israel and elsewhere who support Trump’s order, with Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, even claiming that the court has no jurisdiction over the U.S. or Israel, as neither is a member. He wrote on social media, ‘The International Criminal Court aggressively pursues the elected leaders of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East.’ The court’s jurisdiction extends beyond member states; the Rome Statute, which established the court, grants the UN Security Council the power to refer atrocity crimes committed in any country to the court for investigation.
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