US imposes sanctions on two more ICC judges
The US government on Dec. 19 announced sanctions on two judges from the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, due to their "illegitimate targeting of Israel." The sanctions bar the named individuals from entry into the US, and extends to their family members. The measures also block any assets the individuals hold in the US.
In a press statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited provisions of February’s Executive Order 14203, "Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court." The order established that any non-US person or organization can be sanctioned if they engage directly in an effort of the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute a "protected person" without the consent of that person's country of nationality. Rubio described the conduct of both judges as fitting these stipulations, stating: "These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent, including voting with the majority in favor of the ICC's ruling against Israel’s appeal on December 15."
On Dec. 15, the ICC rejected Israel's legal challenge to the case that has been opened over possible war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The challenge demanded that the Israeli government be issued a new notification by the Court accounting for the events following the October 7 attacks of 2023. The court rejected this appeal on the basis that the initial notification of 2021 covered potential future events. Both Lordkipanidze and Damdin voted in favor of rejection of the appeal.
Criticism of the new sanctions has been expressed by the Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties, describing the measures as "regrettable attempts to impede the Court and its personnel in the exercise of their independent judicial functions in full conformity with the Rome Statute.” The Assembly of States Parties serves as the ICC’s governing body, bringing together delegates from states that are party to the Rome Statute. Past sanctions imposed by the US regarding Israel against the ICC have been described by Human Rights Watch as putting “justice at risk.”
The criticism was rejected by Rubio, stated that "the United States and Israel are not party to the Rome Statute and therefore reject the ICC’s jurisdiction. We will continue to respond with significant and tangible consequences to the ICC’s lawfare and overreach."
This marks the third round of sanctions against ICC jurists enacted by the Trump administration in connection with the Israel-Gaza conflict.
From JURIST, Dec. 20. Used with permission.
See our report on genocide accusations against Israel.
Hamas calls on Israel to allow investigation into October 7
Hamas has called on Israel to allow an impartial international investigation into its attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and rejected the notion that it killed civilians or committed atrocities.
The Palestinian group published a 42-page document Dec. 26, which laid out its account of October 7, an addendum to its "Our Narrative" statement of January 2024.
Around 1,200 Israelis were killed when Hamas and other groups launched a surprise attack on southern Israel over two years ago. A further 251 people were taken to Gaza as captives.
In the new document, Hamas says that "Western media and Zionist lobby groups" launched a disinformation campaign about the events of the attack.
"The Israeli entity promoted a series of lies and fallacies about killing children and raping women, paving the way to proceed with an all-out genocide project that was pre-planned and aimed to erase Gaza from existence," it states.
The group says that in the days after the attack, it had offered to release non-military captives, but Israel initially rejected the offer.
It added that media reports have revealed that Israel's military bombed areas in southern Israel where Israeli civilians were intermixed with Hamas fighters, in what Hamas said was an example of the "Hannibal Directive." (MEE)