US sanctions ICC, Netanyahu praises Trump
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The United States has announced direct sanctions against the International Criminal Court, measures broader than the previous US sanctions targeting ICC prosecutors and judges, and also covering private companies that provide services to the ICC. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed admiration for President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their decision to impose these measures, stating that the ICC is threatening the sovereignty of nations and democracies worldwide. Rubio said President Trump will not allow the ICC to prosecute Americans, and that the United States will prohibit transactions with this court, cut off its sources of resources, and undermine its ability to operate. Meanwhile, Nazhat Shameem Khan, a deputy prosecutor of the ICC, condemned the measures as an attempt to undermine international rule of law, but affirmed that the ICC will continue its work in every investigation and every prosecution. In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the former Israeli defense minister, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. The ICC currently has 125 member states, including all European Union members and all NATO members except the United States and Turkey, with its headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands.