Washington, 6 February (EFE).- US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to sanction the International Criminal Court for its actions against the United States and its allies, such as Israel.<\/p>
The order accuses the ICC of engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions” against the US and its “close ally” Israel and says the court has “abused its power” by issuing “baseless” arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.<\/p>
Trump’s order says the ICC’s actions set a “dangerous precedent”. The sanctions include barring ICC officials and their immediate family members from entering the United States.<\/p>
The document says Washington remains committed to accountability but calls on the ICC to respect its decision and that of other countries not to subject their personnel to the international court.<\/p>
The order imposes financial and visa restrictions on ICC personnel who assist the court’s investigations of US citizens or Washington’s allies.<\/p>
Trump’s order followed a meeting on Tuesday with Netanyahu, who was issued an arrest warrant by the ICC in November for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.<\/p>
Netanyahu is in Washington until Saturday and has held meetings with senior figures in Congress and the administration, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. <\/p>
In 2020, during his first term (2017-2021), Trump already imposed sanctions on the ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and one of her top aides over the court’s investigation into alleged war crimes committed by US troops in Afghanistan.<\/p>
Trump’s move comes after Senate Democrats, in the minority in that chamber, blocked a Republican-led attempt last week to sanction the ICC in response to its arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant over Israel’s Gaza offensive.<\/p>
The ICC, created by the Rome Statute, is an international court that tries individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. <\/p>
The United States, China, Russia, and Israel are not members and therefore are not under the ICC’s jurisdiction. EFE<\/p>
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