THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) 鈥� The International Criminal Court on Friday called on member states to stand up against , describing the move as an attempt to harm an indispensable global court to administer justice and protect the lives of millions of innocent people.
The embattled court quickly received support in Europe from traditional allies of the U.S.
鈥淪anctioning the ICC threatens the court鈥檚 independence and undermines the international criminal justice system as a whole,鈥� said European Council President Ant贸nio Costa, who heads the summits of the European Union's 27 leaders. It was the toughest direct criticism by a senior EU official to a decision by Trump since his return to office last month.
The White House issued the executive order against the ICC on Thursday in response to what it called 鈥渋llegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 order was a response to the arrest warrant that the ICC issued last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The U.S. and Israel aren鈥檛 members of the court and don鈥檛 recognize it鈥檚 authority.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians, including children, have been killed during the Israeli military鈥檚 response to Hamas' attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people in October 2023. The casualty figure of Palestinians killed is provided by Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between fighters and civilians.
鈥楴o one stands above international law鈥�
The Hague-based ICC said that it 鈥渃ondemns鈥� the move by the Trump administration. ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane called the U.S. move 鈥渙nly the latest in a series of unprecedented and escalatory attacks aiming to undermine the Court.鈥欌��
鈥淎s atrocities continue to plague the globe affecting the lives of millions of innocent children, women and men, the Court has become indispensable,鈥� she said.
She called for all 鈥渢o stand united in the Court鈥檚 defense: our 125 States Parties, civil society and all nations of the world.鈥�
France immediately stepped up and said that it 鈥渨ill mobilize to ensure that the court can continue fulfilling its mission in an impartial and independent way,鈥� according to its foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine.
Germany said it will await the impact of the U.S. sanctions, while indicating where its sympathy lies.
鈥淪tanding up for international law and for the International Criminal Court is in our own maximum security interest,鈥� German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said. The court 鈥渋s one of the greatest achievements of international criminal law and is supported by more than 120 states,鈥� she added.
鈥淚f the ICC could no longer continue its work now, that would be one of the biggest joys for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,鈥� Baerbock said. 鈥淚n the past three years, Putin had to see that his crimes against humanity, such as the abduction of Ukrainian children, do not remain without consequences.鈥�
She noted that to a BRICS summit of developing economies in South Africa and said that 鈥渘o one stands above international law.鈥�
鈥楥ourt鈥檚 work is essential鈥�
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the ICC "must be able to freely pursue the fight against global impunity. Europe will always stand for justice and the respect of international law."
The Netherlands, which hosts the court, has also condemned Trump鈥檚 order. 鈥淭he Netherlands regrets the executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC. The court鈥檚 work is essential in the fight against impunity,鈥� Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp said in a statement.
People in the Dutch government say the Netherlands has been trying to assist the court in shielding itself from the fallout.
Trump's executive order said that the U.S. would impose 鈥渢angible and significant consequences鈥� on those responsible for the ICC鈥檚 鈥渢ransgressions.鈥� Actions may include blocking property and assets and not allowing ICC officials, employees and relatives to enter the United States.
The U.S. Treasury and State Department will determine which people and organizations will be sanctioned.
The ICC caught the wrath of the United States in November when a pretrial panel of judges issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas鈥� military chief, accusing them of in connection with the war in Gaza.
The warrants said that there was reason to believe that Netanyahu and Israel's former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant used 鈥渟tarvation as a method of warfare鈥� by restricting humanitarian aid and have intentionally targeted civilians in Israel鈥檚 campaign against Hamas in Gaza 鈥� charges Israeli officials deny.
Funding for staff and investigations at risk
Human rights groups have criticized the U.S. sanctions.
"Sanctions are for human rights violators, not those working to hold rights abusers to account," Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
"Trump鈥檚 executive order borrows a page out of Russia鈥檚 playbook, which has sought to obstruct the court鈥檚 work through arrest warrants against its judges and prosecutor,鈥� she added.
Court officials had been preparing for sanctions for months. In January, the court gave staff a three-month advance on their salaries, two court insiders told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to media.
Should the U.S. sanction the court itself, it could cripple operations, leaving the institution unable to pay staff, fund investigations, or access information stored on servers in the United States.
At least two senior staff members at the court have resigned since Trump was elected in an effort to avoid sanctions.
'ICC鈥檚 actions have no legal basis'
In an increasingly polarized Western world, Hungary stood side by side with Trump.
鈥淭he ICC has recently turned itself into a biased political tool and has discredited the entire international court system,鈥� Foreign Minister P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 said. 鈥淚ts decisions have also only contributed to exacerbating insecurity in already difficult parts of the world.鈥�
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said that 鈥渢he ICC鈥檚 actions are immoral and have no legal basis.鈥�
It is the second time that Trump has gone after the court. During his previous term in office, he imposed sanctions on former prosecutor and one of her deputies over her investigation into crimes committed in Afghanistan. U.S. President Joe Biden lifted the sanctions when he took office in 2021.
Raf Casert And Molly Quell, The Associated Press
