The U.S. Treasury Department officially sanctioned Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, on Thursday over the court’s investigation of alleged Israeli war crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the issuing of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials.
This expected news comes three days after the White House listed Khan on Monday as the first person to be designated for sanctions under U.S. President Donald Trump’s new executive order sanctioning the ICC. Republican lawmakers separately attempted to sanction the court; however, the move was blocked by Senate Democrats.
The move against Khan will freeze any U.S. assets he has and will bar him from entry into the United States.
“I thank President Donald Trump and the incoming administration for imposing sanctions on the ICC prosecutor following his disgraceful decision to issue arrest warrants against Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant,” wrote Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations. “Karim Khan is just another puppet in the Palestinian-led diplomatic circus of terror at the United Nations. Those who long ago lost their moral compass have no right to lecture Israel, a nation fighting against the forces of evil.”
He emphasized that “we will continue fighting until all hostages are returned and Hamas is eliminated.”
“Good to see the rogue prosecutor of the ICC kangaroo court added to the US Treasury OFAC sanctions list,” wrote Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Khan is a threat to America and to our allies.”