US sanctions four International Criminal Court judges

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday sanctions against four judges at the International Criminal Court, in retaliation for the arrest warrant out for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant.

"Today, I am designating Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order 14203," Rubio said in a statement.

"These individuals directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without consent from the United States or Israel. Neither the United States nor Israel is party to the Rome Statute."

The ICC had previously considered looking into whether US soldiers committed war crimes in Afghanistan. 

"As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baselessactions targeting America or our close ally, Israel," Rubio said.

"The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies. This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel. The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel, and any other US ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC."

The sanctioned judges will now have any US assets blocked, and any US resident or American citizen will be prohibited from doing business with them.