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The Trump administration announced the closure of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington and threatened sanctions against the International Criminal Court if it pursued investigations against the United States, Israel or other allies. (September 10)
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John Bolton, National Security Advisor, listens to President Donald Trump's speech on the situation in Syria on April 13, 2018 at the White House in Washington, DC.(Photo: MANDEL NGAN, AFP / Getty Images)

WASHINGTON – White House national security advisor John Bolton on Monday launched a scathing attack on the International Criminal Court, saying the Trump government would sanction the court and ban its US judges if an investigation into American war in Afghanistan.

"The United States will use every means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unfair prosecution by this illegitimate tribunal," Bolton said in a speech to the conservative Federalist Society on Monday. "The ICC is already dead for us."

The ICC has long been controversial, with critics like Bolton suggesting it poses a threat to US sovereignty. Supporters say that the international tribunal, based in the Netherlands, offers recourse to victims of genocide and other war crimes in countries without law.

The ICC was conceived for the first time in 1998 by the Treaty of Rome as a court that could prosecute the perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and other crimes against humanity. "As a court of last resort, it seeks to complement, not replace, domestic courts," says the ICC on its website.

In his speech on Monday, Bolton denounced the ICC as a "supranational tribunal" that claims "absolute discretion to investigate, charge and prosecute individuals, whether or not their countries have adhered to the Rome Statute." Rome Agreement.

"In theory, the ICC holds the perpetrators of the most egregious atrocities accountable for their crimes, delivers justice to the victims and deters future abuse," Bolton told a receptive audience of members of the Federal Society. inefficient, inexplicable and even downright dangerous.

Bolton said that he had made this announcement now because the Trump administration feared that the ICC was about to take action on the Afghan issue.

Last November, the prosecutor of the court, Fatou Bensouda, announced their intention to investigate allegations that the US military and CIA personnel were involved in torture in Afghanistan.

"In due course, I will file my application for judicial authorization to open an investigation, stating that there are reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in the context of the armed conflict. Afghanistan, "she said. the weather.

But Bolton cited another factor against the ICC: a possible investigation of Israel, a key American ally. Palestinians asked the ICC in May to investigate Israel 's alleged human rights violations.

"We will not allow the ICC, or any other organization, to restrict Israel's right to self-defense," Bolton said Monday.

If the ICC tries to sue the United States, Israel or other allies, Bolton said the Trump administration would not only punish the ICC, but also any company or state that works with the court in such an investigation. The United States could even cut off foreign aid to these countries, he added.

"We will remember this cooperation when establishing US foreign assistance, military assistance and intelligence sharing levels," said Bolton.

In a similar move, the Trump administration announced Monday that it would close down the Palestine Liberation Organization's Washington office – a decision that was immediately repressed by Palestinian officials who said the White House was trying to intimidate them.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the administration was closing the office because the PLO was not a productive partner in efforts to reach a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.

"The PLO has not taken steps to advance direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel," Nauert said in a statement on Monday. "On the contrary, the PLO leaders have condemned an American peace plan that they have not yet seen and refused to engage with the US government regarding the peace and other efforts.

"The United States continues to believe that direct negotiations between the two sides are the only way forward," she added. "This action should not be exploited by those who seek to act as detractors to deflect the imperative of reaching a peace agreement, and we are not withdrawing from our efforts to achieve lasting and comprehensive peace."

Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, said Monday that Monday's announcement was "another assertion of Trump administration policy aimed at collectively punishing the Palestinian people, including cutting off financial support to the people." humanitarian services, including health and education ".

The Trump administration initially threatened to close the PLO office in Washington last fall, but then receded. The State Department's decision to finalize the decision will further inflame tensions between the United States and the Palestinians, following the Trump administration's decision not to fund US aid to the West Bank and Gaza and to freeze United Nations program. supports the Palestinian refugees.

"This dangerous escalation shows that the United States is willing to dissolve the international system to protect Israeli crimes and attacks against the Palestinian land and people, as well as peace and security in the rest of our region," said Monday Mr. Erekat.

He said the Palestinians "will take the necessary steps to protect the rights of our citizens living in the United States to access their consular services."

Human rights activists and other critics said the two would further undermine the US's global reputation and paralyze US efforts to be considered legitimate peace agents in the conflict. Israel-Palestine.

"The first casualty of this (ICC) decision is America's credibility in international justice," said Brett Bruen, who served as director of global engagement in the Obama administration. Bruen said Obama had attempted to counterbalance concerns about the ICC, in terms of its impact on US national security and sovereignty, the role of the United States as a defender of the rule of law in the United States. the world.

"What Bolton is essentially doing is taking one of our most powerful deterrents and removing it from the equation, which will lead to more blatant violations of human rights in countries like Venezuela and Myanmar. "said Bruen. "In the end, more blood and American treasures will have to be spent to expel those who commit this kind of war crimes."

Amnesty International also launched the movement and called on the United States to join the ICC as a full member.

"Rather than imposing sanctions, the United States should reaffirm once and for all its signature of the Rome Statute establishing the ICC and support – and not hinder" its investigations ", said Adotei Akwei, Deputy Director of Advocacy and government relations of Amnesty International USA.

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