NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court (ICC). In the executive order, Trump finds ICC engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and its close ally Israel.  

“The ICC has, without a legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the US and certain of its allies, including Israel, and has further abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.  The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC,” the order added.  

Noting that both US & Israel are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war, the order stated that the ICC’s recent actions against Israel and the US set a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former US personnel, including active service members of the Armed Forces, by exposing them to harassment, abuse and possible arrest.  This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States Government and our allies, including Israel, the order further added.

The order said, “The United States will impose tangible and significant consequences on those responsible for the ICC’s transgressions, some of which may include the blocking of property and assets, as well as the suspension of entry into the US of ICC officials, employees and agents, as well as their immediate family members, as their entry into our Nation would be detrimental to the interests of the US.”

Trump signed the order while Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu continued his visit to Washington, meeting lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties. The Israeli PM also presented a golden pager to Trump, a reference to Israel’s deadly operation against Hezbollah in September last year, using booby-trapped communication devices.