The United States has ramped up its activities against the International Criminal Court (ICC) following its indictment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sanctioning a French judge and several others linked to the court's investigations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Wednesday (local time) that France's Judge Nicolas Guillou, presiding over the case in which the ICC has issued a warrant for Netanyahu's arrest, would be sanctioned.
Also sanctioned was Canadian judge Kimberly Prost in regard to a different ICC case regarding alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
The two new restrictions also include two deputy prosecutors, Nazhat Shameem Khan from Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang from Senegal.
France, whose President Emmanuel Macron had only two days prior to the announcement paid a visit to Washington, responded forcefully, saying it was "dismayed" by the action. A foreign ministry spokesperson characterized the decision as "in contradiction to the principle of an independent judiciary."
The ICC also denounced the sanctions as a "flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution."
The ICC has indicted Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Rubio for what he called a "decisive act against a smear campaign of lies against the State of Israel" and its military.
Aside from Netanyahu, the ICC has also issued warrants for the arrest of former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who has been reported killed by Israel since.
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