Washington has sanctioned International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan after he issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The sanctions, including a freeze on Khan’s US assets and a travel ban for him and his family, were enacted under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on February 6. The order argues that the ICC’s actions set a “dangerous precedent” by exposing Americans and their allies to potential prosecution.
“The ICC has, without a legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction over US personnel and certain allies, including Israel, and further abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants,” the order states.
The US Treasury Department confirmed Khan’s addition to the “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons” list, prohibiting Americans from doing business with him. The ICC condemned the sanctions, reaffirming its commitment to justice, while the United Nations criticized Washington’s move, calling the court a “pillar of international justice.”
The US has never recognized ICC authority and has a history of targeting its prosecutors. In 2020, the Trump administration sanctioned Khan’s predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, over investigations into US actions in Afghanistan—sanctions later lifted by President Joe Biden.
However, the US praised Khan in 2023 when he issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over the alleged deportation of Ukrainian children. Moscow dismissed those warrants as “null and void.”
The latest US sanctions have sparked international criticism. A joint statement from 79 ICC member states warned they could undermine the rule of law. Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives recently voted to impose further sanctions on ICC officials prosecuting Washington’s “allies.”
Khan, who became ICC prosecutor in 2021, previously led UN investigations into Daesh/ISIL crimes in Iraq and has worked in multiple international tribunals. The sanctions may complicate his ability to brief the UN in New York, as an existing agreement allows ICC officials to travel there for official duties.
The sanction comes less than two weeks after Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, during which he praised US action against the ICC. Khan had accused Netanyahu and Gallant of “intentionally directing attacks against civilians” in Gaza.
Source: RT
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
