JERUSALEM – President Donald Trump‘s government order sanctioning the Hague-based Worldwide Felony Courtroom (ICC) will forestall a slippery slope of U.S. navy and authorities officers going through prosecution from a nebulous judicial paperwork within the Netherlands, argue critics of the worldwide legal physique.
Richard Goldberg, a former Trump official who served on his first Nationwide Safety Council, advised Fox Information Digital, “It is a essential first step in defending American troopers and officers from additional lawfare illegitimately waged by radical anti-People at what’s develop into a world kangaroo court docket. Israel could also be within the information right this moment, however tomorrow it is going to be the People who’re nonetheless being wrongfully investigated by the court docket for supposed conflict crimes in Afghanistan.”
Goldberg, a senior adviser on the Basis for Protection of Democracies, added, “These ICC officers have crossed a line, they’ve entered the battlefield in opposition to the USA and Israel by perverting worldwide legislation and utilizing it as a device of warfare. The president has preserved an escalation ladder right here, too. These sanctions solely apply to officers and repair suppliers, to not the court docket itself. We may completely go the subsequent step and shut down the court docket if this lawfare isn’t terminated.”
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A normal view of the Worldwide Felony Courtroom constructing in The Hague, Netherlands, on April 30, 2024. (Selman Aksunger/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures)
The ICC fired again in a press release and stated it “condemns the issuance by the U.S. of an Government Order in search of to impose sanctions on its officers and hurt its unbiased and neutral judicial work. The Courtroom stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to proceed offering justice and hope to hundreds of thousands of harmless victims of atrocities the world over, in all Conditions earlier than it. We name on our 125 States Events, civil society and all nations of the world to face united for justice and elementary human rights.”
Trump signed the executive order punishing the ICC on Thursday in response to its Could 2024 arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former Protection Minister Yoav Gallant.
Netanyahu praised the order in a press release. “Thanks, President Trump to your daring ICC Government Order. It is going to defend America and Israel from the anti-American and antisemetic corrupt court docket that has no jurisdiction or foundation to interact in lawfare in opposition to us. The ICC waged a ruthless marketing campaign in opposition to Israel as a trial run for motion in opposition to America. President Trump’s Government Order protects the sovereignty of each international locations and its courageous troopers.”
The ICC is reportedly nonetheless investigating U.S. residents for conflict crimes dedicated in Afghanistan. (AP)
Hungarian International Minister Peter Szijjarto stated on Friday that Trump’s sanctions on the ICC are “completely comprehensible.” He added the ICC has develop into “a biased political device” and that the central European nation was evaluating its cooperation with the ICC.
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President Donald Trump, proper, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reply questions throughout a joint press convention within the East Room on the White Home in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, 2025. ( REUTERS/Leah Millis)
Dozens of nations expressed their “unwavering assist” for the ICC on Friday, a day after Trump approved doubtlessly far-reaching financial and journey sanctions in opposition to the court docket’s workers.
“We reaffirm our continued and unwavering assist for the independence, impartiality and integrity of the ICC,” a bunch of just about 80 international locations stated in a joint assertion. “The court docket serves as a significant pillar of the worldwide justice system by making certain accountability for essentially the most severe worldwide crimes, and justice for victims.”
The signatories got here from all components of the world however make up solely about two-thirds of the 125 member states of the permanent court for the prosecution of conflict crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression.
Among the many international locations who agreed to the assertion had been France, Germany and Britain. Amongst these absent had been Australia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Italy.
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Goldberg stated that “The president wasn’t going to attend round on Schumer’s video games to behave. The minute Senate Democrats blocked the invoice it was a assure you’ll see an government order observe. But when Schumer now says he helps the order, Senate Republicans ought to transfer rapidly to codify it and pressure Schumer again to a vote.”
Senate Minority Chief Sen. Chuck Schumer,D-NY., torpedoed a GOP-led invoice to sanction the ICC in January.
Reuters and Fox Information’ Diana Stancy contributed to this text
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