The Trump regime is preparing sweeping sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in an attempt to destroy the world’s highest criminal court. The move is Donald Trump’s latest move to defend wanted Israeli war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu.
The sanctions would ban a majority of financial transactions with the court, isolating it from the US dollar and — if the global banking system capitulates as expected — from that too. Trump is expected to make a final decision during this week’s UN General Assembly gathering in New York City.
Trump has already abused US financial power to sanction the ICC president, judges and former chief prosecutor Karim Khan, as well as engineering Khan’s removal from his post, despite judges finding no evidence against him in sexual harassment allegations.
The US has previously said it would dismantle the ICC if it did not drop its charges against Netanyahu and other Israelis who have committed crimes against humanity.
You already know why, because it is and was designed to be used as neocolonial imperialist tool. I am not against the concept of an ICC but not one that was developed for these reasons and not one that allows the US and Israel to steer it. I don’t think it can be reformed as its foundations are rotten. Same thing with police in the US.
Many non-Western countries, particularly in Asia, have historically been hesitant to join the ICC due to concerns about sovereignty and potential interference in domestic affairs. And their concerns have been validated. That’s why some countries are making efforts to form regional human rights courts.
I’ve said this before, it’s selective justice, that it’s victors’ justice. Powerful states and their allies are effectively shielded while weaker states and leaders who lose wars or fall out of favor get prosecuted. Just look at the The ICC’s own docket. There’s an asymmetry of power here. The court can only act where states allow it, they are not neutral and the ICC is used as a weapon.