Council of Europe warns of consequences of US sanctions against ICC

The council's statement stated that the US decision to impose sanctions on the ICC for issuing arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of the Israeli regime, and his former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant will have negative consequences.

Antonio Costa, President of the Council of Europe, has warned that imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court is a threat to the independence of this institution and undermines the structure of international justice.

The senior EU official said this after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) for what he called a baseless investigation into the US and its close ally, Israel, over the genocide in Gaza.

Trump's order claimed that The Hague court "abused its authority" by issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who held talks with the US president on Tuesday.

The order includes a freeze on assets and a travel ban against ICC officials, staff, and their associates, as well as anyone suspected of assisting the court's investigation.

Last November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant. The warrants are for "crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least October 8, 2023, to at least May 20, 2024."