Washington sanctions Hague court, Rubio: We will paralyze its operations

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration announced on Friday the imposition of new sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), escalating its confrontation with the international justice institution.

According to the measures announced, the aim is to restrict the court’s activities, after it was criticized by the Trump administration for investigations and proceedings launched against U.S. and Israeli officials.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Trump would not accept the prosecution of U.S. citizens by the International Criminal Court.

“We will stop transactions with this rogue court, cut off its resources and cripple its ability to operate,” Rubio said.

The measures could extend beyond court officials and also affect companies that provide services to it, including financial, insurance and technology companies, Reuters reports.

ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan rejected the U.S. decision, describing it as an attempt to undermine international rule of law and the independence of a judicial institution.

Khan said that, despite the pressure, the court would continue its work on all cases, investigations and criminal proceedings under consideration.

Tensions between the United States and the International Criminal Court have risen particularly since arrest warrants were issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The arrest warrants relate to allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. The United States has also opposed the court’s previous investigations into the actions of U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan.

Established in 2002, the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction to prosecute those responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United States is not a member.

Meanwhile, the court is considering ways to limit the impact of the sanctions, including replacing certain technology services and finding alternatives to banking services.

The latest confrontation has raised concerns about the impact of political pressure on international justice and the ability of judicial institutions to act independently.