The Trump administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court who have been involved in proceedings against Israel and the United States.

The four judges will be barred from entering the US, and their assets in the country will be seized, measures typically used against officials from countries hostile to America.

“The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel, and any other US ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

“I call on the countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices, to fight this disgraceful attack on our nation and Israel,” Rubio said.

The court swiftly hit back, saying in a statement: “These measures are a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, on the other hand, hailed the sanctions, thanking the Trump administration for imposing them.

“Thank you, President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio, for imposing sanctions against the politicized judges of the ICC. You have justly stood up for the right of Israel, the United States, and all democracies to defend themselves against savage terror,” said a statement from the premier’s office.

Two of the judges, Beti Hohler of Slovenia and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin, took part in proceedings that led the court’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan to issue in November arrest warrants against........

© The Times of Israel