US Sanctions Four Hague ICC Judges Over Israel Probe

Via The Cradle

On Thursday, the US government imposed sanctions on four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges over their role in investigations into war crimes by US and Israeli forces.

The US State Department said the sanctions freeze any assets the judges hold in the country and ban them from any transactions involving US citizens or institutions, cutting them off from the US financial and legal system. This includes a ban on US banks, companies, or individuals from sending money, offering services, or cooperating with the judges through international bodies.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions in a written statement, accusing the ICC of overstepping its authority and threatening the sovereignty of the US and Israel.

The ICC responded by condemning the move as an attack on its independence. It said the sanctions undermine efforts to hold war criminals accountable. “Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict. It only emboldens those who believe they can act with impunity,” the court said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also criticized the move, emphasizing that “attacks against judges” are in direct contradiction to “respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law – values for which the US has long stood.”

The judges targeted are Solomy Balungi Bossa, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza, Reine Alapini Gansou, and Beti Hohler.

According to the State Department, Bossa and Carranza were sanctioned for approving a 2020 investigation into alleged war crimes by US troops and CIA officers in Afghanistan and secret prisons.

Alapini Gansou and Hohler were targeted for their involvement in issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, with charges including starvation and attacking civilians in Gaza. The decision triggered a strong reaction from both Washington and Tel Aviv, which rejected the ruling outright.

Less than three months later, on February 13, 2025, the US sanctioned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, freezing his assets and banning him from entering the country.

On April 29, ICC judges issued a gag order on Khan, barring him from publicizing any new arrest warrant applications in the Palestine case. Judges said his public announcements had disrupted proceedings and put pressure on the court.

Trump escalated the campaign after returning to office in January 2025. Just days in, he signed an executive order threatening sanctions against anyone involved in ICC investigations related to US or Israeli war crimes.

The same order is now being used to justify sanctions against the four judges. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintain that the ICC holds no authority over the US or Israel, neither of which is party to the Rome Statute.