The sanctions target Tomoko Akane, the chief judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Washington aims to make her life as difficult as possible: any company with US business ties could face penalties if it issues a credit card or sells a plane ticket to the judge.
The move is part of Trump’s campaign against the international order, which has included the ICC since 2002. The court is meant to prosecute crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. 125 states have submitted to its authority – the US is not among them, nor are Russia, China, or Israel.
Trump attacks the court
The trigger is the planned indictment of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The ICC has no jurisdiction over nationals of non-member states like Israel or the US. However, it can prosecute crimes committed in member states – and Palestine, including the Gaza Strip, is one of the 125 states parties.
Former Democratic US presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden quietly cooperated with the court. Trump, by contrast, wants to dismantle it because it has Netanyahu in its sights. The sanctions against Akane are an open provocation to all countries committed to the international legal order.
Europe must act
The EU and Germany explicitly profess their commitment to this order. That is why they must now act decisively against the US provocation. Condemning the sanctions is not enough – Europe must ensure that Akane can continue to exercise her office and that the court can carry on its work.
The case shows how vulnerable international institutions are to a US president who systematically undermines multilateral agreements. For Europe, this is also about its own credibility: those who champion the rule of law abroad must also defend it against the most powerful ally.
Source: www.sueddeutsche.de
