August 22, 2025

The United States just dropped a huge diplomatic bombshell! It has slapped sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Why? Because these officials played key roles in cases targeting American soldiers and Israeli leaders, including issuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced these tough measures in a sharp tweet. The named officials include Judge Nicolas Yann Guillou of France, who presided over the case issuing the warrants for Netanyahu. Alongside him, Judge Kimberly Prost and two deputy prosecutors, Nazhat Shameem Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang, were blacklisted. Rubio fired off a statement on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "The ICC continues to disregard national sovereignty." He added, "We will continue to hold accountable those responsible for the ICC's morally bankrupt and legally baseless actions against Americans and Israelis." The US Department of State detailed the reasons behind the sanctions. Judge Kimberly Prost was punished for approving the ICC's probe into the conduct of American troops in Afghanistan. Judge Guillou was targeted for allowing the ICC to issue arrest warrants against Prime Minister Netanyahu. And the two deputy prosecutors were sanctioned for supporting those arrest warrants. In the State Department’s words, "Guillou is being designated for ruling to authorise the ICC's issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant." The ICC, based in The Hague, hit back hard. It called the US actions "a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution, which operates under a mandate from 125 States Parties from all regions," according to Russia Today. The tension is not new: US President Donald Trump had earlier imposed sanctions on the ICC, slamming it for "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel." Netanyahu himself rejected the arrest warrants, calling them "anti-Semitic." The background? In 2024, the ICC placed Netanyahu and Gallant on its wanted list after finding "reasonable grounds" that Israel blocked humanitarian aid into Gaza. Since 2023, over 60,000 people have lost their lives there, Russia Today reported. What do these sanctions mean in practice? Any property the designated officials have in the US will be frozen. Plus, American individuals and companies are banned from doing any business with them. This clash between the US and ICC is heating up diplomatic skies, mixing law, politics, and fierce international drama. Who will blink first? Stay tuned!

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Tags: Icc sanctions, Us sanctions, Benjamin netanyahu, International criminal court, American soldiers,