INSANITY: Washington sanctions four ICC judges over Israel war crimes investigations

• The U.S. imposed sanctions on four ICC judges for investigating alleged war crimes by Israel and the U.S., freezing their assets and restricting financial access.
• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the ICC of “politicized” overreach, targeting American personnel and allies like Israel.
• The sanctions follow the ICC’s 2024 arrest warrants for Israeli PM Netanyahu and ex-Defense Minister Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, including starvation tactics.
• The ICC and human rights groups condemned the sanctions as an attack on judicial independence and the rule of law, warning it emboldens impunity.
• The court, lacking enforcement power, faces turmoil (e.g., its prosecutor under UN misconduct probe) and struggles to hold powerful nations accountable, exposing U.S. bias in defending Israel.

The U.S. has imposed sanctions on four judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC), escalating its long-running feud with the tribunal over its investigations into alleged war crimes by Israel.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced punitive measures against the four magistrates in a statement released Thursday, June 5. The sanctions targeted Judges Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

In the statement, the secretary accused the four of advancing “illegitimate and baseless actions” against Washington and Tel Aviv. He also condemned the ICC as a “politicized” body overstepping its authority by targeting American personnel and allies. According to the statement, the sanctions – authorized under Executive Order 14203 –  freeze the judges’ U.S. assets and restrict their access to the global financial system.

The move deepens Washington’s confrontation with the ICC, which has drawn global scrutiny for its pursuit of accountability in conflicts from Afghanistan to Gaza. Established in 2002 and recognized by 123 countries, the tribunal has no enforcement powers of its own and relies on member states to arrest suspects.

The U.S., Israel, Russia and China have never ratified the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC. Thus, they reject its jurisdiction over their citizens.

Sanctions against ICC judges exposes Washington’s insanity and lawlessness

The latest tensions stem from the ICC’s November 2024 arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, including using starvation as a method of warfare. Tel Aviv, which denies the accusations, has dismissed the court as a biased tool of its adversaries.

The sanctions also target judges involved in the ICC’s earlier probe into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan. This case that has been largely deprioritized since 2021, when the Biden administration pulled out of the country entirely.

The ICC swiftly condemned the sanctions, calling them an assault on judicial independence. “Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict,” the court said in a statement. “It only emboldens those who believe they can act with impunity.”

Human rights groups echoed the criticism. Liz Evenson of Human Right watch blasted the sanctions, calling them “a flagrant attack on the rule of law.”

The measures arrive amid turmoil at the ICC, where Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan is on leave pending a United Nations investigation into alleged misconduct. The court’s high-profile cases, including arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, have tested its ability to deliver justice without enforcement mechanisms. (Related: UN probes ICC’s Karim Khan over retaliation claims amid sexual misconduct scandal.)

But from the looks of it, Washington is insanely pulling out all the stops to defend Israel – which Rubio described as America’s “close ally.” Ultimately, the second Trump administration’s decision to paint Tel Aviv as a victim – despite clear evidence of its war crimes against the Palestinian people – only exposes its lawlessness and highlights its bias.

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Listen to the Health Ranger Mike Adams commenting on how U.S. senators are threatening ICC judges  over the arrest warrant for senior Israeli officials.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

U.S. Congress freaks after ICC issues arrest warrants for both Israel and Hamas, threatens sanctions against international court.

House GOP members pull out all the stops to protect Israel but do very little to denounce lawfare tactics targeting Trump.

Republican-led House votes to sanction ICC for investigating Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

Sources include:

RT.com

Edition.CNN.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.com