US announces new Israel-related sanctions on ICC officials
The Trump administration has sanctioned four International Criminal Court (ICC) officials it says are involved in efforts “to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either nation”.
Washington has been hitting out against the ICC after it announced plans to investigate, then issued arrest warrants for, Israeli leaders accused of committing war crimes in Gaza.
Earlier this year, the US government announced sanctions against ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, who brought the arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. It also sanctioned four ICC judges.
The new US sanctions target Kimberly Prost of Canada, Nicolas Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal, the US State Department said in a statement.
“The United States has been clear and steadfast in our opposition to the ICC’s politicization, abuse of power, disregard for our national sovereignty, and illegitimate judicial overreach,” it said. “The Court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel.”
Netanyahu welcomes US sanctions against ICC
The Israeli prime minister has thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for imposing fresh sanctions against International Criminal Court (ICC) officials.
“This is a firm measure against the mendacious smear campaign against the State of Israel and the [Israeli military], and for truth and justice,” Netanyahu said in a post on X.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli leader for alleged war crimes in Gaza, where the Israeli military has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and pushed the enclave into a starvation crisis.
When it issued the warrant last year, the ICC said it had “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity”.
PM Netanyahu:
"I congratulate US Secretary of State @SecRubio for deciding to impose sanctions on the judges of the International Court in The Hague.
This is a firm measure against the mendacious smear campaign against the State of Israel and the IDF, and for truth and justice."
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 20, 2025
Birds of a feather flock together.
France ‘dismayed’ by US sanctions on ICC judges, prosecutors
The French Ministry has expressed dismay at a US decision to impose sanctions on four more International Criminal Court judges or prosecutors, including one from France, over actions against Israeli leaders and US citizens.
A foreign ministry spokesperson said the sanctions, including against French judge Nicolas Guillou, were “in contradiction to the principle of an independent judiciary”.
