Egypt Daily News – The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday condemned US President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting the court and imposing sanctions, and said it “stands firmly” by its officials.
The ICC said in a statement on Friday: “The ICC condemns the United States’ issuance of an executive order that seeks to sanction its officials and jeopardize its independent and impartial judicial work.”
The statement added: “The Court stands firmly by its staff and pledges to continue to provide justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities around the world, in every situation it faces.”
According to the executive order signed by Trump on Thursday, “the United States will impose significant sanctions on those responsible for ICC abuses, some of which may include blocking property and assets, as well as suspending the entry of ICC officials and staff, and their immediate family members, into the United States, because their entry into our nation would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.”
The move is intended to punish the court for issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
The ICC arrest warrants, then condemned by former US President Joe Biden, called for Netanyahu and Gallant to be arrested for war crimes and crimes against humanity for Israel’s military operations in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas offensive. At the same time, the ICC also sought the arrest of senior Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was later killed in Gaza.
In its statement, the ICC called on its 125 member states, civil society and all countries to “stand united for justice and fundamental human rights.”
