France expresses solidarity with ICC judges amid US sanctions

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - France on Friday expressed solidarity with four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges who have been sanctioned by the US and called on Washington to withdraw its measures against the court.

"France expresses its solidarity with the judges targeted by this decision and reaffirms its unwavering support for the ICC and its staff, who play a vital role in the fight against impunity," a French Foreign Ministry statement said.

It said that together with its European partners and other States Parties to the Rome Statute, France will remain committed to ensuring that the court can independently and impartially continue its efforts to obtain justice for the victims of the most serious crimes.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that four ICC judges had been added to the sanctions list, accusing them of violating the sovereignty of the US and Israel.

“These four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,” Rubio said in a statement. “The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies.”

In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for allegedly committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.