The United States is considering imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a whole, Reuters reports. This would represent the most severe escalation in the U.S. campaign against the tribunal, which has already blacklisted individual judges and prosecutors. Entity‑wide sanctions could cripple the court’s day‑to‑day operations, jeopardizing staff salaries and access to banking services.
The pressure on the ICC intensified after the court issued arrest warrants last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, and also charged Hamas members with similar accusations. Both the United States and Israel reject the court’s jurisdiction; Washington has described the ICC as “a national security threat” and an instrument of lawfare against the two nations.
In anticipation of possible sanctions, the ICC has begun paying staff salaries in advance through the end of 2025 and is seeking alternative providers for banking and office software. Emergency meetings have been convened among court officials and diplomats from member states to assess the potential impact. The threat of broader sanctions has provoked pushback from the ICC’s 125 member countries, several of which plan to raise concerns at the United Nations General Assembly.
Established in 2002 under the Rome Statute, the ICC prosecutes genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It recognizes Palestine as a member, which it says grants jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed in Gaza. The United States and Israel do not recognize the court’s jurisdiction, a dispute that has persisted for years.
Last month, the United States sanctioned two ICC judges and two prosecutors, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling the court a national‑security threat. In February, the U.S. also sanctioned ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan after he sought arrest warrants against Israeli officials; Khan is currently on leave while an investigation into sexual‑misconduct allegations— which he denies— proceeds. Potential sanctions on the ICC could significantly affect the court’s ability to function and its relationships with member states, and the dispute between the United States, Israel, and the ICC is likely to continue, with the possibility of further escalation.
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