Criminal hammers criminal court

The criminal: Getty Images

Newsweek:

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court for targeting the United States, Israel, and its allies, a White House official told Reuters.

The order will implement financial and visa sanctions on individuals and their family members who assist in ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or allies, the official said.

The move comes amid Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, D.C.

The ICC sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over Israel's military actions in Gaza, sparking bipartisan backlash in the U.S.

This is the second time the Trump administration has sanctioned the court, highlighting ongoing tensions over jurisdiction and accountability. The U.S. has never been an ICC member and does not recognize its authority over American citizens.

The order is expected to be signed this afternoon, aligning with Netanyahu's visit to Washington, which included an Oval Office meeting on Tuesday.

Trump's executive order will impose financial and travel restrictions on ICC officials involved in cases against U.S. or Israeli personnel. The move aims to deter cooperation with ICC investigations, further isolating the court.

The ICC has alleged that Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant used "starvation as a method of warfare" by restricting humanitarian aid and deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza—claims Israeli officials have dismissed as false and antisemitic.

Trump sanctioned the ICC following a 2020 order targeting its investigation into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan. Israel also rejects the court's jurisdiction and has opposed its efforts to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over the Israel-Hamas war.

Critics argue that Trump's order undermines international law, while supporters see it as necessary to protect American and Israeli interests.

The executive order follows Trump's proposal to have the U.S. take control of Gaza, relocate roughly 2 million Palestinians to neighboring countries, and transform the area into the "Riviera of the Middle East."

The plan sparked immediate backlash. Lawmakers from both parties questioned its practicality and ethics, while Egypt and Jordan flatly rejected the idea of accepting displaced Gazans, calling it a violation of international law. 

Palestinian leaders denounced it as an attempt to erase their presence from the region.

See also Israel destroys Gaza and Arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant: "Crimes against humanity"