The United States has announced sanctions against two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges who investigated Israel, including a case involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained the decision was prompted by the judges’ recent vote alongside the Court’s majority to reject Israel’s challenge to the ICC’s jurisdiction. The challenge concerned alleged crimes committed during Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Rubio stated the US would not tolerate what he claimed to be the ICC’s abuse of power, violating the sovereignty of both the US and Israel. He specifically opposed subjecting American and Israeli nationals to ICC jurisdiction.
The State Department added it would continue to impose “consequences” for what it considers wrongdoing by the ICC.
The sanctioned judges are Gocha Lordkipanidze, a former Justice Minister of Georgia, and Erdenebalsuren Damdin from Mongolia.
In response, the ICC released a statement “strongly rejecting the new American sanctions.”
The sanctions bar the judges from entering the US and freeze any property or financial transactions within the country.
