• The U.S. sanctions two ICC judges for their roles in investigating Israeli war crimes.
• This brings the total number of ICC officials under U.S. sanctions to eleven.
• The sanctions are criticized by the ICC as attacks on judicial independence.
• U.S. Secretary of State Rubio cites the judges' ruling against Israel as the reason for the sanctions.
• The sanctions are a continuation of the Trump administration's approach to the ICC.

The United States has enacted sanctions against two judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, in response to their involvement in the court's decision to proceed with a war crimes investigation concerning Israel. This sanction increases the number of ICC officials under U.S. sanctions to eleven. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the judges "have directly engaged in efforts" to investigate Israeli citizens without Israel's consent, specifically referring to their votes against halting the investigation into actions taken during the Gaza war that began with Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The ICC criticized these sanctions, labeling them as a "flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution," and reaffirmed its commitment to its mandate despite external pressures. The court emphasized that threats against judicial officials jeopardize the international legal order, a sentiment echoed by officials from various human rights organizations who voiced concerns over the chilling effects these actions could have on international justice, as noted by Channel News Asia.

Rubio's statement underscores the U.S.'s longstanding criticism of the ICC's reach, arguing that it violates the sovereignty of the U.S. and Israel. He declared, "We will not tolerate ICC abuses of power," reflecting a continuation of actions taken during the Trump administration aimed at restraining the court's activities pertaining to both U.S. and Israel, indicating a robust political stance on international legal interventions, according to Reuters, Al Jazeera, and Channel News Asia.

The sanctions proceed similarly to previous measures taken against ICC officials involved in investigations concerning U.S. operations, particularly in Afghanistan. Over the past two years, the Trump administration has expanded sanctions to individuals associated with the ICC, asserting that their actions set dangerous precedents for global interactions among nations. These sanctions signal a renewed conflict between the U.S. and the ICC regarding jurisdiction and the accountability of nations, underlining the ongoing tension surrounding international law, as reported by Reuters and Al Jazeera.