On February 6th, the Trump administration imposed sanctions against Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The sanctions come in response to Khan’s decision to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister Yoav Gallant, and The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced they will officially take effect today (Thursday).
Sanctions Against Khan – and Possibly Other Senior Officials
According to the Treasury Department’s statement, the sanctions imposed on Khan include: freezing of assets within the U.S., a ban on U.S. citizens engaging in any commercial relations with him, and the prohibition of his entry into the United States. The executive order extends even further, by including anyone else involved in legal actions against Israel, along with their family members. Thus, additional ICC officials may also face future sanctions.
The Trump administration’s action is expected to seriously affect Khan’s briefings to the United Nations Security Council regarding the investigations he opened. Due to the U.S. travel ban preventing him from entering the United Nations headquarters in New York, Khan will be forced to deliver his updates remotely via video conference.
“The ICC Engaged in Unlawful Actions”
The presidential order issued by the U.S. administration stated that “the ICC engaged in unlawful actions specifically targeting Israel, one of America’s closest allies.” Furthermore, the statement warned that the ICC’s recent decisions regarding Israel “set a dangerous precedent and pose a direct threat to both current and former American officials, including military personnel.”
The firm and unprecedented US stance against the ICC signals that any attempt to target its allies will not go unanswered. With these sanctions now in effect, the pressure on Karim Khan and the court is mounting, setting a new precedent for future international legal battles.
