Donald Trump with Benjamin Netanyahu
The United States has escalated its confrontation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) by sanctioning a French judge and several other officials involved in cases against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others.US secretary of state Marco Rubio announced the measures on Thursday, targeting Judge Nicolas Guillou of France, who is overseeing the case in which the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Canadian judge Kimberly Prost was also sanctioned for her role in a separate case linked to alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. Two deputy prosecutors, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal, were added to the list.France condemned the decision, saying it was “dismayed” by Washington’s move. A foreign ministry spokesman called the sanctions “in contradiction to the principle of an independent judiciary.” The ICC echoed that sentiment, calling the measures a “flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution.”Netanyahu, however, praised Rubio, saying he had taken a “decisive act against a smear campaign of lies against the State of Israel” and its military. The ICC has accused Netanyahu of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The court has also issued warrants for former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who has since been confirmed killed by Israel.Judge Guillou, now facing travel bans and an asset freeze in the United States, has a long record of international judicial service. He previously worked on trials related to Kosovo and Lebanon and also spent years in the United States assisting the Justice Department with judicial cooperation during the Obama administration.Rubio had already sanctioned four other ICC judges earlier in June. The US state department said the two deputy prosecutors were penalised for backing “illegitimate ICC actions against Israel,” including their support for the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. Judge Prost, the Canadian official now sanctioned, was previously involved in authorising an ICC investigation into crimes during the Afghanistan war, including alleged abuses by US forces.The move follows a pattern set during the Trump administration, which dismissed the ICC’s authority and placed sanctions on court officials. Biden later rolled back those restrictions and allowed limited cooperation with the court, particularly in cases related to Ukraine. The latest action comes just days after United States president Donald Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, despite the ICC warrant for Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
