On February 6, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order imposing economic sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to its issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The measures include asset freezes and travel restrictions targeting ICC officials and their families involved in the investigations. This decisive action reflects the administration’s broader policy of opposing what it views as politically motivated legal interventions by international bodies, particularly when they affect key U.S. allies such as Israel.
The executive order has sparked a wide spectrum of reactions. Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, have praised the move, asserting that it protects Israel from what they deem an illegitimate and prejudiced tribunal. Conversely, human rights organizations have condemned the sanctions, warning that they undermine the principles of international justice and obstruct mechanisms of accountability for grave violations of humanitarian law. As a court designed to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, the ICC continues to grapple with resistance from global powers such as the U.S. and Israel—both non-members—that reject its authority and respond to its rulings with punitive measures.
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