World News
U.S. Moves to Tighten Sanctions on International Criminal Court
The new sanctions would bar dollar-denominated transactions with the court, a move that could cut it off from the global financial system. The decision follows sanctions imposed on senior court officials over the past year.
Broadcast of the proceedings against Israel at the Hague court (archive photo: Chaim Goldberg, Flash90)The "Wall Street Journal" reported today (Monday) that the Trump administration is working to tighten economic sanctions on the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
According to the report, the new sanctions are expected to prohibit most financial transactions with the court. The goal: to cripple the court's operations by banning transactions in U.S. dollars and cutting the institution off from the global financial system. The move will likely take effect within the coming days.
The U.S. State Department said in response that Secretary of State Marco Rubio's position is that the court poses a threat to American sovereignty.
It should be noted that over the past year, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on senior court officials as part of its campaign against it. Those sanctioned include former chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who was removed from his position last July. Sanctions were also imposed on the court's president, Tomoko Akane, several additional judges, the prosecutor's two deputies, and the chief prosecutor in the case against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
