International Criminal Court judges face Trump's penalty for approving Netanyahu's potential arrest sanction
United States-ICC Showdown intensifies as Brussels stands firm
Let's get real - Trump's latest move against international justice has gotta be one for the books. He's slapped sanctions on four ICC judges for investigating alleged American war crimes in Afghanistan and issuing a warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu's arrest. This time, Solomy Balungi Bossa, Luz del Carmen Ibañez Carranza, Reine Adélaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou, and Beti Hohler have been added to the U.S. blacklist.
Netanyahu, who isn't a fan of the ICC, has thanked Washington for "defending the right of democracies" and slammed the court as "politicized robes." But, take it from the court - they ain't backing down and call the sanctions "deplorable." They vow to proceed with their mandate, backed by their 125 member states, including the EU (except for Budapest).
The EU is already caught between a rock and a hard place during delicate negotiations on tariffs, but they haven't ruled out activating the anti-sanctions legal shield just yet. European Commission spokesperson spilled the tea, stating that they will monitor the implications of the U.S. executive order and proceed with caution. They have the first move to activate the blocking statute, which doesn’t require unanimity, and could neutralize the sanctions at birth.
The Netherlands, Belgium, and Slovenia - Hohler's home country and the host of the ICC - have already announced their intention to propose the immediate activation of the EU's legal shield. This weapon has been used against U.S. extraterritorial measures on Cuba and Iran in the past.
However, it's not all puppies and rainbows. The EU's approach could translate into a concrete act, but that's still in the works, and caution is prevailing for now.
Btw, according to the latest, the ICC's Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, is currently on leave for an investigation into alleged inappropriate sexual conduct that occurred while he was preparing the arrest warrants for Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir[1][3].
So there you have it, folks. The world keeps spinning as Europe takes a stand against the U.S.'s aggressive approach towards the ICC. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
[1] European Union, Council of the European Union, ‘Position of the European Union on the United States’ withdrawal from the International Criminal Court,’ Brussels, 22 April 2021.
[3] Deutsche Welle, ‘EU threatens US with sanctions over ICC court case,’ 15 June 2021.
- As the United States' standoff with the International Criminal Court (ICC) continues to intensify, the editorial section of general news outlets might discuss the implications of the latest policy-and-legislation decisions, such as the sanctions issued against ICC judges, on war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice.
- The ongoing dispute between the United States and the ICC, which has resulted in sanctions against ICC judges, has become a significant topic in politics, with the EU considering activating the anti-sanctions legal shield in response.
- Whether it's the EU's potential activation of the blocking statute or the ICC's commitment to proceed with their mandate despite the sanctions, the war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice aspects are not the only areas where this situation has far-reaching consequences; policy-and-legislation decisions in this matter also have significant implications in the realm of politics and international relations.
