PM Netanyahu praises US for imposing more sanctions on ICC judges, combatting ‘smear campaign’

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after he decided to impose sanctions on four more judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecute Israeli and U.S. officials.

“I congratulate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for deciding to impose sanctions on the judges of the International Court in The Hague,” Netanyahu stated Wednesday evening.

“This is a firm measure against the mendacious smear campaign against the State of Israel and the IDF, and for truth and justice.”

“The ICC continues to disregard national sovereignty and facilitate lawfare through efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, and prosecute American and Israeli nationals. In response, I am sanctioning four additional ICC officials,” Rubio said in a statement.

The four judges joined four other judges who were previously put on a sanctions list by the Trump administration in June.

The judges’ assets in the U.S. will now be frozen and they will be denied entry to the country.

French judge Nicolas Yann Guillou was sanctioned for approving arrest warrants against Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Fijian deputy prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan and Senegalese deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang were sanctioned for upholding the warrants.

In addition, Judge Kimberly Prost of Canada was sanctioned after she approved an ICC investigation into the conduct of U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.

“We will continue to hold accountable those responsible for the ICC’s morally bankrupt and legally baseless actions against Americans and Israelis,” Rubio asserted.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant in November 2024.

Israel and the United States have rejected the validity of the warrants, as neither country is a member of the Rome Statute, which established the ICC’s jurisdiction over member states. 

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan was placed on the U.S. list of “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons” in February, before he stepped down amid an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.

“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,” Rubio said in a statement.

“The court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel,” he charged.

“It remains the policy of the United States government to take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our troops, our sovereignty, and our allies from the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions.”

“I urge countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices, to resist the claims of this bankrupt institution.”