The State Department is sanctioning four International Criminal Court judges for engaging in “the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel.”

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 for alleged atrocities Israel has committed in its war in Gaza. The court is also investigating alleged war crimes committed by the United States in Afghanistan.

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“The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. “This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel.”

“The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel, and any other U.S. ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC,” he continued. “I call on the countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices to fight this disgraceful attack on our nation and Israel.”

Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia are among the judges being sanctioned.

The ICC said in a statement that it “deplores” the additional designations for sanctions.

“These measures are a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe. The ICC provides justice and hope to millions of victims of unimaginable atrocities, in strict adherence to the Rome Statute, and maintains the highest standards in protecting the rights of suspects and the victims,” the court said.

“The ICC stands fully behind its personnel, and will continue its work undeterred, in strict accordance with the Rome Statute and the principles of fairness and due process, with a view to bringing justice to victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression,” the court concluded.

The State Department said it is sanctioning Bossa and Ibanez Carranza for their investigation against U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. Alapini Gansou and Hohler are being sanctioned because they issued the arrest warrant against Netanyahu and Gallant.

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“We do not take this step lightly,” the State Department said. “It reflects the seriousness of the threat we face from the ICC’s politicization and abuse of power.”

The U.S. sanctioned the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, in February.