John Bolton vows to punish ICC after short reports of alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan

White House National Security Adviser John Bolton Threatened to Punish the International Criminal Court (ICC) after the global court announced an investigation into alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan – in a harsh condemnation just before the world marked 17 years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Speaking in Washington, DC, at a Federalist Society luncheon on Monday, Bolton described the short, which is based in The Hague in the Netherlands, as "illegitimate," adding: "for all intents and purposes, the ICC is already dead to us . "

He also slammed the organization's decision to formally investigate war crimes allegedly committed by Afghan national security forces, Taliban and Haqqani network activists, and US forces and intelligence in Afghanistan dating back to May 2003. The US invaded Afghanistan in October 2001, shortly after the 9 / 11 attacks; the war is ongoing.

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"The International Criminal Court unacceptably threatens American sovereignty and U.S. national security interests," Bolton said, adding the U.S. "will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court."

Bolton vowed that the U.S. "would not cooperate with the ICC," would sanction the ICC's funds in the U.S. financial system and would prosecute ICC judges and lawyers in U.S. courts.

Bolton's remarks after the Trump administration announced the closure of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Washington.

The office was closed, the State Department said, because there were "no direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel."

"PLO leadership," according to State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, "has condemned to U.S. peace plan they have not yet seen and committed to the US government with respect to peace efforts and otherwise."

Bolton reiterated the statement, saying: "The United States supports a robust and robust peace process, and we will not allow the ICC, or any other organization, to constrain Israel's right to self-defense."

The PLO formally represents Palestinians, and while the U.S. does not formally recognize Palestinian statehood, the organization has maintained a general delegation office in Washington that facilitates Palestinian officials' interactions with the U.S. government.

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Since its creation in 2002 to prosecute war crimes in areas where perpetrators might not otherwise face justice, the ICC has filed charges against dozens of suspects including former Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, who was killed by rebels before he could be arrested, and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged with multiple crimes, including genocide in Darfur.

Al-Bashir is still at large, as is Joseph Kony, who was among the first rebels on the court in 2005. The court just convicted just eight defendants.

The United States of America, Russia, China and other major nations to join, while Burundi and the Philippines have quit. The latter's departure, announced this year, takes effect next March.

Bolton on Monday called the court "an unprecedented effort to vest power in a supranational body without the consent of any nation-states or the individuals over which it purports to exercise jurisdiction."

"It certainly does not whatsoever from the United States," he added.

Fox News' Paulina Dedaj and The Associated Press contributed to this report.