US sanctions ICC for targeting US and allies including Israel. UK and EU should expel US from UN and NATO

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: Following the inauguration of POTUS Donald Trump on Jan 20, he ordered the US to withdraw its membership of many organisations that require members to adhere to international law, humanitarian and human rights law and help provide assistance to the most vulnerable people in need. The decline of the US, its weak moral compass, hatred of foreigners and cruelty towards fellow man means that the US cannot be trusted. The UK and EU should expel US from the UN and NATO.

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Three related reports:

From BBC News online

By Bernd Debusmann Jr

BBC News, White House

Dated Thursday, 6 February 2025, 22:21 GMT - full copy:

Trump sanctions International Criminal Court, calls it 'illegitimate'

IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES

Image caption, Trump previously sanctioned ICC officials during his first term in office in 2020.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court, accusing it of "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel".

The measure places financial and visa restrictions on individuals and their families who assist in ICC investigations of American citizens or allies.

In January, the US House of Representatives voted to sanction the ICC after it issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes allegations in Gaza, which Israel denies. The ICC also issued a warrant for a Hamas commander.

At the time, the ICC said it "regrets any attempts to undermine the court's independence, integrity and impartiality".

The US is not a member of the ICC and has repeatedly rejected any jurisdiction by the body over American officials or citizens.

The order says that the ICC's recent actions "set a dangerous precedent" that endanger Americans by exposing them to "harassment, abuse and possible arrest".

"This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel," the order says.

The White House accuses the Hague-based ICC of creating a "shameful moral equivalency" between Hamas and Israel by issuing the warrants for the Israeli leaders and a Hamas commander at the same time, according to a fact sheet circulated by the White House earlier.

The White House believes the ICC is placing constraints on Israel's right to self-defence, while accusing the body of ignoring Iran and anti-Israel groups.

Trump has repeatedly criticised the ICC, and took several steps to sanction the body during his first term in office.

At the time, he also imposed sanctions on ICC officials who were investigating whether US forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

The order allowed the US to block the assets of ICC employees and stop them from entering the US.

In response, the ICC said that the sanctions were an "unacceptable attempt to interfere with the rule of law".

Founded in 2002 - in the wake of the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the Rwandan genocide - the ICC was formed to investigate alleged atrocities.

The court can only deal with crimes committed after July 2002, when the Rome Statute - which formed the ICC - came into effect.

Over 120 countries have ratified the statute, while another 34 have signed and may ratify in the future.

Neither the US nor Israel is party to the Rome Statute. The order states that "both nations are thriving democracies with militaries that strictly adhere to the laws of war".

The ICC is a court of last resort and it is meant to intervene only when national authorities cannot or will not prosecute.

Media caption, 

Watch [Video 00:14]: Netanyahu gifts Trump a golden pager during US visit 

Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, also criticised the ICC's warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, calling the move "outrageous" and saying there was no equivalence between Israel and Hamas.

Trump's signing of the executive order comes as Netanyahu visits Washington.

In a joint press conference with the Israeli prime minister this week, Trump said the US could "take over" Gaza, which he said could become the "Riviera of the Middle East".

He again made the claim on his Truth Social social media platform.

"The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting," Trump said on Thursday.

He repeated his belief that the idea would mean resettling Palestinians, and that no American soldiers would be deployed.

His post did not make clear whether the two million residents of the Palestinian territory would be invited to return, leaving officials scrambling to explain.

On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that any displacement would be temporary, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Gazans would leave for an "interim" period while reconstruction took place.

Arab leaders, human rights organisations and the UN have condemned the idea.

International Criminal Court: What is the ICC and what does it do?

View original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2p19l24g2o

- - -

From Times Radio - Video report
Dated Thursday, 6 February 2025 

Trump's plan for Gaza 'unviable' and cannot be implemented 

"There not a chance that this is something that would be implemented soon." Trump's plan for Gaza is unfounded and simply part of 'flooding the zone' with ideas, says President of the Middle East Policy Council Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley.

 

- - -

Trump 🇺🇸 gifts to Netanyahu 🇮🇱 a ‘key to the Whitehouse’

•Over 61,709 Palestinians murdered in Gaza 🇵🇸
•Over 17,000 children murdered
•Over 111,588 injured
•Over 6,000 kidnapped & tortured

An ICC arrest warrant for crimes against humanity

Shameful.pic.twitter.com/wsD3IwwL33

— Howard Beckett (@BeckettUnite) February 6, 2025

End

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: ICC Prosecutor's statement after visiting Rafah Border between Egypt & Gaza

“International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC addresses journalists after visiting the Rafah Border Crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on 29 October 2023. From Cairo, the Prosecutor gives a statement on the current situation in Israel and the State of Palestine”. 

Video courtesy of Al Arabiya - english.alarabiya.net.  

Transcript

Follow along using the transcript facility at the video.

[Ends]

VIDEO: ICC Prosecutor speaks in Cairo on the situation in Israel and Palestine after his visit to Rafah

#ICC Prosecutor @KarimKhanQC addresses journalists after visiting the Rafah Border Crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on 29 October 2023.

From Cairo, the Prosecutor gives a statement on the current situation in Israel and the State of Palestine👇https://t.co/666En6yBIT

— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) October 29, 2023

[Ends]

ICC prosecutor at Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza says he hopes to visit Gaza, Israel

Report at Al Arabiya - english.alarabiya.net

With AFP (Agence France-Presse)
Published Sunday, 29 October 2023: 08:57 PM GST
Updated Monday, 30 October 2023: 01:52 AM GST - here is a copy in full:

ICC prosecutor at Rafah border crossing says hopes to visit Gaza, Israel

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan speaks during an interview with Reuters about the violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories in The Hague, Netherlands October 12, 2023. (File photo: Reuters)

International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan said Sunday preventing access to humanitarian could be a crime, after visiting Egypt’s Rafah crossing with Gaza, the main entry point for international aid.

“Impeding relief supplies as provided by the Geneva conventions may constitute a crime within the court jurisdiction,” Khan told reporters in Cairo.

He said he wanted “to underline clearly to Israel that there must be discernible efforts without further delay to make sure civilians” in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory “receive basic food, medicines”.

“I saw trucks full of goods full of humanitarian assistance stuck where nobody needs them, stuck in Egypt, stuck at Rafah,” Khan said.

“These supplies must get to the civilians of Gaza without delay.”

On Sunday the United Nations warned it feared a breakdown of public order after looting at food aid centres in Gaza run by its agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said the situation was “growing more desperate by the hour” as casualties in the war increase and essential supplies of food, water, medicine and shelter dwindle.

People in the Palestinian territory have lived under Israeli blockade for 16 years and under complete siege for the past three weeks after the territory’s Hamas rulers launched deadly attacks into Israel that sparked a war.

Hamas militants stormed across the Gaza border on October 7 in the deadliest attack in Israel’s history, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 239 others, according to Israeli officials.

The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza says the retaliatory Israeli bombardment has killed more than 8,000 people, mainly civilians and half of them children.

Khan said his office had an ongoing investigation into “any crimes committed on the territory of Palestine and any crimes committed, whether it’s by Israel and Palestine or whether it’s acts committed on the territory of Palestine or from Palestine into Israel.”

“This includes current events in Gaza and also current events in the West Bank,” Khan said, adding that he was “very concerned also by the spike of the number of reported incidents of attack by settlers against Palestinian civilians” in the territory Israel has occupied since 1967.

Khan also said hostage taking was a breach of the Geneva Conventions.

“I call for the immediate release of all hostages taken from Israel and for their safe return to their families,” Khan said.

The British lawyer said “Israel has clear obligations in relation to its war with Hamas, not just moral obligations but legal obligations” to comply with the laws of conflict.

“These principles equally apply to Hamas in relation to firing indiscriminate rockets into Israel,” he said.

View original: https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/10/29/ICC-prosecutor-at-Rafah-border-crossing-says-hopes-to-visit-Gaza-Israel

[Ends]

VIDEO: ICC Prosecutor speaks outside compound by Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza Strip

THE International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan KC was at the Rafah crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip this weekend. Watch his remarks on the current situation in Israel and the State of Palestine in this clip filmed outside the compound of the Rafah crossing.

Le Procureur de la #CPI @KarimKhanQC était au point de passage de Rafah entre l'Égypte et la bande de Gaza ce week-end.

Regardez ses remarques sur la situation actuelle en Israël et dans l’État de Palestine (en anglais). 👇 pic.twitter.com/WC8rcf71mD

— CPI-Cour pénale int. (@CourPenaleInt) October 30, 2023

[Ends]

Israel says ground operations expanding as it intensifies Gaza bombing. Gaza can't be contacted

Communications go down in Gaza, leaving residents uncontactable. Hamas says clashes are taking place in northern areas. (Photo/caption from BBC)

Summary

• Israel says its ground forces are "expanding operations" targeting Hamas in Gaza
• Huge explosions were seen in the territory, with Israeli warplanes carrying out heavy strikes
• Hamas says clashes have taken place in northern Gaza - reports say some Israeli troops and tanks have entered
• Earlier, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman told Gaza City residents to move south for their safety
• Communication networks went down around the same time, meaning residents in Gaza can't be contacted
• The UN General Assembly called for an immediate humanitarian truce, with 120 states voting for a resolution put forward by Jordan
• Israel has been bombing Gaza since the 7 October Hamas attacks that killed 1,400 people and saw 229 people kidnapped as hostages
• The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says 7,000 people have been killed since Israel's retaliatory bombing began

Source: BBC News Live Reporting Sat, 28 Oct 2023 00:50 BST. Read latest:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67246761

[Ends]

UN General Assembly adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate and sustained ‘humanitarian truce’

THE United Nations General Assembly on Friday (27 Oct) adopted a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza. It also demands “continuous, sufficient and unhindered” provision of lifesaving supplies and services for civilians trapped inside the enclave, as news reports suggest Israel has expanded ground operations and intensified its bombing campaign. Read more: https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1142847

UN Photo/Evan Schneider Members of the United Nations General Assembly vote on a resolution at the resumed 10th Emergency Special Session meeting on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

BREAKING: UN General Assembly ADOPTS resolution on “protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” on the ongoing Gaza crisis

FOR: 120
AGAINST: 14
ABSTAIN: 45

LIVE COVERAGE https://t.co/MOnKoTdNsb pic.twitter.com/WG68GaxMMV

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) October 27, 2023 

[Ends] 

VIDEO & TRANSCRIPT: Declaration of Commitment made to allow humanitarian access to Sudan

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: I made this transcript of the video below.



Transcript of a video posted at YouTube 13 May 2023:

Declaration of Commitment made to allow humanitarian access to Sudan

VOICE SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation):
Caption: JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia
In the absence of a ceasefire the United Nations has been pressing parties to agree to a set of humanitarian principles that would allow for sid to flow to the millions living on the edge even before the latest fighting erupted.

VOICE Stéphane Dujarric, UN Secretary-General's Spokesperson:
The Secretary-General welcomes the signing by the parties to the conflict in Sudan of the Declaration of Commitment to protect civilians and guarantee the safe passage of humanitarian aid in the country while humanitarian workers most notably are local Sudanese partners have continued to deliver in very very difficult circumstances. The Secretary General hopes that this declaration will ensure that the relief operations can scale up swiftly and safely to meet the needs of millions of people in Sudan. He reiterates his call for an immediate ceasefire and expanded discussions to achieve the permanent cessation of hostilities. The U.N will spare no efforts to assist in the declaration's implementation and will continue to deliver humanitarian aid, ceasefire or not.

VOICE SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation):
DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
- respect for international law
- refrain from civilian harm
- allow for unimpeded humanitarian passage
- observing regular humanitarian pauses

The detailed Declaration of Commitment includes pledges from both sides to respect International humanitarian and human rights law including distinguishing between civilians and combatants and between civilian objects and military targets to allow and facilitate an impeded passage of humanitarian relief and personnel and observing the implementation of regular humanitarian pauses as needed among other parameters Hoping to arrest violations by both military factions.

VOICE Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
I strongly condemn this wonton violence in which both sides have trampled International humanitarian law notably the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution. The Sudanese military has launched attacks intensely occupied civilian areas including airstrikes.

VOICE SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation):
Last week one airstrike reportedly hit the vicinity of a hospital in the East Nile area of Khartoum killing several civilians. The RSF meanwhile has allegedly taken over numerous buildings in Khartoum to use as operational bases, evicting residents and launching attacks from densely inhabited urban areas.
More than 730,000 people have been internally displaced since the fighting between Sudan's armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces began almost a month ago while the UN has warned that in the absence of a truce more than 800,000 could flee the country.

VOICE Volker Perthes, UN Secretary-General Special Representative: Sudan:
This is the first time that we have a mutual, a mutual declaration on something which is not a ceasefire but a mutual signed declaration of the two warring parties on respecting International humanitarian law and international human rights law and some more concrete provisions like vacating hospitals and medical facilities which is good. And of course the aim is to have a ceasefire which is also mutually agreed which I hope would give more stability and more respect to a ceasefire than when it is only based on unilateral declarations.

VOICE SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation):
The United States which is co-hosting the talks in Saudi Arabia says they will now focus on reaching an agreement on an effective ceasefire of up to approximately 10 days to facilitate the humanitarian agreement. Referring to a step-by-step approach agreed by the parties, subsequent discussions will be focused on a permanent cessation of hostilities that has today been out of reach for the belligerents. The UN has been clear that any notion of a military victory for either side would be a miscalculation. -Sherwin Bryce-Pease, SABC News, New York.

View original at YouTube: https://youtu.be/fEkg9BsfzX0

[Ends]