Netanyahu praises Trump, Rubio over ICC sanctions

• The ‘Israeli’ prime minister accuses the court of threatening national sovereignty and democratic states.
• The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of threatening national sovereignty and democratic states worldwide.

In a statement, Netanyahu said he commended Trump and Rubio for taking what he described as a “critical decision” to sanction the court.

“The ICC is not a court. It is a political body that poses a mortal threat to law abiding democracies worldwide and to the very idea of national sovereignty,” Netanyahu said, thanking the two US officials.

The sanctions are part of the Trump administration’s efforts to challenge the court’s authority, including its investigations involving US personnel and ‘Israeli’ officials. Washington has argued that the ICC’s actions threaten US sovereignty.

In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former ‘Israeli’ Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The court said there were reasonable grounds to believe they bore responsibility for crimes within its jurisdiction.

The ICC has maintained its independence and defended its mandate to investigate and prosecute serious international crimes.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: I commend President @realDonaldTrump and @SecRubio for taking this critical decision to sanction the ICC. The ICC is not a court. It is a political body that poses a mortal threat to law abiding democracies worldwide and to the very idea of national sovereignty. Thank you for your leadership.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 9, 2026