‘Shocking’: ICC president says threats, sanctions put court at risk | ICC news

American politicians are threatening to punish court officials over the arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.

The president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has warned that attacks on the court, which have come mainly from Washington and Moscow, “endanger its existence”.

Speaking to ICC members in The Hague at the annual conference on Monday, ICC President Tomoko Akane said the court faced “coercive measures, threats, pressure and destructive actions” without naming the United States and Russia.

The court has been facing criticism from both countries after issuing arrest warrants for Israeli and Russian officials over the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

“The court is being threatened with severe economic sanctions by another full member of the Security Council as if it were a terrorist organization,” said Akane in his speech.

US politicians threatened to impose sanctions on ICC officials after the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged military crimes in Gaza.

Last month, US Senator Lindsey Graham, whose Republican Party will control both houses of Congress and the White House from January, called the ICC a “dangerous joke” and threatened sanctions against the court and any country that cooperates with it.

“For any partner – Canada, Britain, Germany, France – if you try to help the ICC, we will punish you,” Graham said on Fox News.

In June, the US Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a bill to sanction the court in response to ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request to arrest Israeli officials.

The measure has so far not been considered by the Senate, which is currently controlled by Democrats.

After the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and the Hamas leader last month, US Senator Tom Cotton proposed the use of military force against the Hague tribunal.

The US and Israel are not members of the ICC, and have rejected the court’s investigation into alleged abuses in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

However, the court decided that it has jurisdiction over those areas because the State of Palestine signed the Rome Statute, which established this court.

“The court has been attacked with the intention of undermining its legitimacy and its ability to administer justice and to fulfill international law and fundamental rights – coercive measures, threats, pressure and destructive actions,” said Akane.

He called the efforts “shocking”.

Last week, the court dismissed “the recent issuance of arrest warrants intended to threaten the freedom and integrity of two judges”. Russia issued an arrest warrant for ICC Judge Haykel Ben Mahfoudh in November.

Moscow also indicted Khan and other court officials after the ICC issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Russian military leaders last year for war crimes committed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Akane warned on Monday that the collapse of the court over these threats “will mean the collapse of the rule of law in the international community”.

“Victims will no longer be able to get justice. For many of them, a country without ICC is unthinkable,” said the ICC president.

“We strongly reject any attempt to influence the independence and impartiality of the court,” he added.

The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and crimes of violence where member states are unwilling or unable to do so on their own.

The letter authorizing Israeli leaders marks the first time a court has ordered a closer alliance with the West.