After threats comes action: Years of American warnings about the International Criminal Court's continued probes prompted US President Donald Trump to take unprecedented steps against the problematic institution in The Hague on Thursday.
Trump, being Trump, has struck a direct blow to the staff of the ICC who were supposed to investigate โUS soldiers who were active in Afghanistan and Iraq. This applies not only ICC personnel, but also their โproperty in the US and their families, who will not be allowed to enter the โUS.
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The American move has teeth. It makes the cases against American soldiers pointless since the ICC will not be able to investigate the events in which they were allegedly involved, so it is likely they will fall apart. In addition, and more importantly, the step seriously damages the stature of the ICC, which has been trying to win international legitimacy for years. The stigma of being refused entry to the US will have an effect. Any country harmed by the ICC will now allow itself to fight it, as America did.
The ICC's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, spit in America's face when she insisted on investigations. Now that America is spitting back, she is drowning โ along with the institution she directs.
But things don't end there.
Trump's sanctions include not only US military personnel, but IDF commanders, as well. Yes, ICC investigators who focus on Israel will not be allowed into the US or access to their property there. Practically speaking this is treating the IDF commanders as if they were US soldiers.
The absolute comparison that the US president is making between his soldiers and ours marks another new high point in his incredible support for Israel. Cynicism cannot explain or mock Trump's total commitment to Israel. Trump has raised support for Israel to unprecedented heights. Any American president that succeeds him and expresses support for the Jewish state will have to try very hard to clear the bar set by the 45th president.ย ย
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