Spokesman for the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas Hazem Qasem has strongly condemned the US government’s sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and said that the US move reflects “the bullying logic” of the US administration.
Qasem said in press statements that the US sanctions against the ICC are aimed at protecting Israeli leaders who have committed war crimes and encouraging them to continue their aggression against the Palestinian people and violate international law and human rights.
US president Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday sanctioning ICC members for investigating “possible war crimes” committed during the Afghanistan war without Washington’s consent.
The executive order includes economic sanctions and visa travel restrictions on ICC staff involved in the investigation and their families according to Associated Press.
In 2017 The Hague-based ICC decided to investigate “possible war crimes” in Afghanistan by various parties including US military and intelligence officials.
US and Israeli officials have previously slammed ICC over probes into war crimes committed by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories.
