US sanctions ICC chief prosecutor over Israeli, US war crimes probes
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Along with its investigation of "Israel," the ICC has been looking into war crimes and crimes against humanity that occurred during the US invasion and occupation of Afghanistan from 2001 until 2021.
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Karim Khan, prosecutor of the ICC, looks up prior to a press conference in The Hague, the Netherlands, on July 3, 2023. (AP)
The United States sanctioned the International Criminal Court's head prosecutor in connection with the ICC's investigations into possible Israeli war crimes in Gaza and US troops.
The US Treasury Department announced it imposed sanctions on Karim Khan in response to President Donald Trump's executive order on February 6, which called for sanctioning him.
Trump claimed the court had taken "illegitimate and baseless actions" against the US and "Israel".
As per the order, the US president now has broad powers to freeze assets and impose travel bans on ICC staff and their families. The sanctions would be imposed if Washington determines that staff members are involved in efforts to investigate or prosecute Americans and some of the US allies, including Israelis.
Along with its investigation of "Israel", the ICC has been looking into war crimes and crimes against humanity that occurred during the US invasion and occupation of Afghanistan from 2001 until 2021.
Trump claimed that the ICC has "abused its power" by issuing arrest warrants, which he believed "set a dangerous precedent." The US president said the warrants endanger US citizens and US military personnel.
"This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel," Trump asserted.
The warrants issued by the ICC for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant followed months of deliberation by the court. The ICC issued these warrants for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the top Israeli officials.
The court said it had found "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore "criminal responsibility" for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare during the Gaza conflict, as well as the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.
The ICC slammed Trump's executive order, claiming it aimed to "harm its independent and impartial judicial work."
This is not a first for Trump, who, in his first term, placed financial penalties and a visa restriction on Fatou Bensouda, the ICC's prosecutor, and other key officials.
Joe Biden withdrew the sanctions shortly after becoming president in 2021.
