Netanyahu: I congratulate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his satisfaction with the US decision to impose sanctions on 2 judges and 2 deputy prosecutors serving at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Netanyahu stated, "I congratulate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his decision to impose sanctions on ICC judges. This is a firm measure taken for truth and justice against the smear campaign waged against the State of Israel and the IDF."

US SANCTIONS 4 ICC OFFICIALS

The US Department of State had announced that the officials in question were included in the sanctions list on the grounds that they directly participated in any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute US and Israeli citizens, who have "protected person" status under international law, without the consent of the respective countries. The Department stated that the sanctioned ICC officials are Judge Kimberly Prost, Judge Nicolas Yann Guillou, Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan, and Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang.

The Department noted that Judge Prost had approved the ICC's investigation into US personnel in Afghanistan, while Judge Guillou had approved the issuance of arrest warrants by the ICC for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The Department stated that Deputy Prosecutors Khan and Niang have continued to support the ICC's illegitimate actions against Israel, including pursuing the ICC arrest warrants targeting Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant since they took charge of the ICC Office of the Prosecutor.

On the other hand, the US had previously added ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and 4 judges to the sanctions list due to the arrest warrants issued for Netanyahu and Gallant.

News Source: İHA