Under Executive Order 14203, the U.S. Government is able to impose sanctions against individuals who assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating or prosecuting U.S. citizens or American allies such as Israel. In July 2025, the Secretary of State Marco Rubio sanctioned UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese for having “directly engaged with the ICC in efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of those two countries.”
As shown below, other U.N. officials hostile to American interests have similarly engaged with the ICC in efforts to investigate, prosecute, and secure arrest warrants against Israeli officials.
Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges
- Signed the August 6, 2024 Amicus Curiae Submission by the United Nations Mandate Holders of the Human Rights Council that recommended issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials for their activities in the Gaza Strip: “The request for arrest warrants should be processed expeditiously” (pg. 7). The rapporteurs argue that “the contention that the Court lacks jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for Israeli nationals due to limits on the State of Palestine’s own jurisdiction under the Accords is inconsistent with the Rome Statute” (pg. 5).
- Signed a March 23, 2023 letter to Karim Khan calling for “more resources to be dedicated to the investigation on the Situation in the State of Palestine, including possible crimes committed by private actors…”
- Signed a November 2024 OHCHR statement supporting the ICC’s arrest warrants issued against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and urging legal consequences against Israeli officials:“These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished…Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel.”
- Signed a February 2025 letter to the U.S. government defending ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials and criticizing U.S. ICC sanctions: “We would like to recall with urgency that Special Procedures mandate-holders…have raised concerns about war crimes…reminding all governments they have a duty to…investigate and prosecute international crimes” (pg. 8).
- Signed an August 2025 statement criticizing U.S. sanctions against ICC officials: “It is alarming to see a country show such continuing hostility towards the legal and peaceful actions of an independent tribunal set up by the international community.”
- Signed a January 2025 statement urging the US Senate to reject the ICC sanctions bill: “It is shocking to see a country that considers itself a champion of the rule of law trying to stymie the actions of an independent and impartial tribunal set up by the international community, to thwart accountability.”
- In November 2024, she supported the ICC arrest warrants against Israeli officials and urged U.S. compliance: “I recall that any transfer of weapons or ammunition to #Israel that would be used in Gaza is likely to violate int’l law and must cease *immediately*. This has been true for some time, and is manifestly clear following #ICC arrest warrants.”
- In November 2024, she again urged compliance with ICC arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant: “…With my colleagues, I urge full compliance with the ICC’s arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant…”
- In January 2025, she called for Netanyahu to be arrested: “ICC members are obliged to arrest persons subject to an #ICC warrant. Poland, which condemned Mongolia for not arresting Pr. Putin, should arrest PM Netanyahu, if he visits…”
- In February 2025, she criticized U.S. sanctions against ICC officials:
- “I am gravely concerned by the U.S. President’s Executive Action authorizing sanctions on the @IntlCrimCourt, its personnel, and those who cooperate with it…the U.S. undermines judicial independence and emboldens perpetrators of atrocity…”
- “#USA: Gravely concerned to see that the President has signed an order to sanction the ICC and its personnel, asserting that the ICC “has engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.” This is wrong under international law and a huge blow to international justice.”
- In August 2025, she again criticized U.S. sanctions against ICC officials: “…This is a direct attack on the work of independent justice operators seeking accountability for the world’s worst crimes.”
- In November 2025, she criticized the U.S.’s sanctions against the ICC: “…threats against justice operators, including at the international level, diminish the rule of law…I have brought these concerns to the Government of the United States and to the Government of Israel.”
- In January 2026, she called on the U.S. to withdraw its sanctions against the ICC: “The #USA must immediately withdraw sanctions against judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court and repeal Executive Order 14203 of February 2025…It is alarming that a fellow UN Special Rapporteur and NGOs have also been sanctioned, contrary to human rights, and that victims themselves may fear punishment under the US sanctions regime…”
Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights While Countering Terrorism
- Signed the August 6, 2024 Amicus Curiae Submission by the United Nations Mandate Holders of the Human Rights Council that recommended issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials for their activities in the Gaza Strip: “The request for arrest warrants should be processed expeditiously” (pg. 7). The rapporteurs argue that “the contention that the Court lacks jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for Israeli nationals due to limits on the State of Palestine’s own jurisdiction under the Accords is inconsistent with the Rome Statute” (pg. 5).
- Signed a November 2024 OHCHR statement supporting the ICC’s arrest warrants issued against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and urging legal consequences against Israeli officials:“These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished…Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel.”
- Signed a February 2025 letter to the U.S. government defending ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials and criticizing U.S. ICC sanctions: “We would like to recall with urgency that Special Procedures mandate-holders…have raised concerns about war crimes…reminding all governments they have a duty to…investigate and prosecute international crimes” (pg. 8).
- Signed an August 2025 statement criticizing U.S. sanctions against ICC officials: “It is alarming to see a country show such continuing hostility towards the legal and peaceful actions of an independent tribunal set up by the international community.”
- Signed a January 2025 statement urging the US Senate to reject the ICC sanctions bill: “It is shocking to see a country that considers itself a champion of the rule of law trying to stymie the actions of an independent and impartial tribunal set up by the international community, to thwart accountability.”
- In December 2025, he called for Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth to be arrested: “This is not “combat”. There is no war on “narco-terrorists”. This is state murder of civilians in peacetime, like executing alleged drug traffickers on the streets of New York or DC. @PeteHegseth and @POTUS should be arrested & charged with ordering the mass murder of 80 people.”
- In April 2025, he asked Belgium to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant: “I call on Belgium to respect its international obligation to arrest anyone indicted by the International Criminal Court found in its territory.”
- In November 2024, he urged individuals targeted by the ICC to turn themselves in: “I urge all individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants to surrender to the Court to face justice in a fair trial. I urge all countries to cooperate with the Court to enforce arrest warrants.”
- He retweeted a NYT article that begins with the sentence “In seeking the arrests of senior leaders of Israel and Hamas, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has given the world a promise of accountability.”
- In January 2025, he tweeted “ICC members are obliged to arrest persons subject to an #ICC warrant. Poland, which condemned Mongolia for not arresting Pr. Putin, should arrest PM Netanyahu, if he visits. Selective application of the law erodes the universality of international justice and multilateralism.”
- In February 2022, he tweeted “Why isn’t it a scandal that Australia opposed independent legal inquiries into Israel by the International Court of Justice in 2004, and now by the International Criminal Court, and has defied the UN Security Council and General Assembly?”
- In July 2023, he criticized Biden’s uncooperation with the ICC: “Biden Orders U.S. to Share Evidence of Russian War Crimes With International Criminal Court (but still refuses to cooperate on US crimes)”
- In February 2025, he called on states to sanction U.S. officials: “One legal way to respond to US travel sanctions on the International Criminal Court is for countries who care about international justice to retaliate by imposing travel sanctions on the US officials responsible for the US sanctions.”
Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression
- Signed the August 6, 2024 Amicus Curiae Submission by the United Nations Mandate Holders of the Human Rights Council that recommended issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials for their activities in the Gaza Strip: “The request for arrest warrants should be processed expeditiously” (pg. 7). The rapporteurs argue that “the contention that the Court lacks jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for Israeli nationals due to limits on the State of Palestine’s own jurisdiction under the Accords is inconsistent with the Rome Statute” (pg. 5).
- Signed a March 23, 2023 letter to Karim Khan calling for “more resources to be dedicated to the investigation on the Situation in the State of Palestine, including possible crimes committed by private actors…”
- In an interview with Al Jazeera, Khan stated that “What the Israeli forces are doing is leading to indiscriminate and massive killing of civilians including journalists. There needs to be strong accountability…” and called for the ICC to look into war crimes occurring in the Gaza Strip.
- In her August 2024 General Assembly report, Khan supported an ICC investigation into the State of Israel: “The International Criminal Court should prioritize its investigation into the killing of journalists in the occupied Palestinian Territory.”
- Signed a November 2024 OHCHR statement supporting the ICC’s arrest warrants issued against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and urging legal consequences against Israeli officials:“These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished…Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel.”
- Signed a February 2025 letter to the U.S. government defending ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials and criticizing U.S. ICC sanctions: “We would like to recall with urgency that Special Procedures mandate-holders…have raised concerns about war crimes…reminding all governments they have a duty to…investigate and prosecute international crimes” (pg. 8).
- Signed an August 2025 statement criticizing U.S. sanctions against ICC officials: “It is alarming to see a country show such continuing hostility towards the legal and peaceful actions of an independent tribunal set up by the international community.”
George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on Democratic and Equitable International Order
- Signed the August 6, 2024 Amicus Curiae Submission by the United Nations Mandate Holders of the Human Rights Council that recommended issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials for their activities in the Gaza Strip: “The request for arrest warrants should be processed expeditiously” (pg. 7). The rapporteurs argue that “the contention that the Court lacks jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for Israeli nationals due to limits on the State of Palestine’s own jurisdiction under the Accords is inconsistent with the Rome Statute” (pg. 5).
- Signed a November 2024 OHCHR statement supporting the ICC’s arrest warrants issued against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and urging legal consequences against Israeli officials:“These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished…Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel.”
- Signed a February 2025 letter to the U.S. government defending ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials and criticizing U.S. ICC sanctions: “We would like to recall with urgency that Special Procedures mandate-holders…have raised concerns about war crimes…reminding all governments they have a duty to…investigate and prosecute international crimes” (pg. 8).
- Signed an August 2025 statement criticizing U.S. sanctions against ICC officials: “It is alarming to see a country show such continuing hostility towards the legal and peaceful actions of an independent tribunal set up by the international community.”
- Signed a January 2025 statement urging the US Senate to reject the ICC sanctions bill: “It is shocking to see a country that considers itself a champion of the rule of law trying to stymie the actions of an independent and impartial tribunal set up by the international community, to thwart accountability.”
Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women
- Signed the August 6, 2024 Amicus Curiae Submission by the United Nations Mandate Holders of the Human Rights Council that recommended issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials for their activities in the Gaza Strip: “The request for arrest warrants should be processed expeditiously” (pg. 7). The rapporteurs argue that “the contention that the Court lacks jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for Israeli nationals due to limits on the State of Palestine’s own jurisdiction under the Accords is inconsistent with the Rome Statute” (pg. 5).
- Signed a March 23, 2023 letter to Karim Khan calling for “more resources to be dedicated to the investigation on the Situation in the State of Palestine, including possible crimes committed by private actors…”
- Signed a November 2024 OHCHR statement supporting the ICC’s arrest warrants issued against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and urging legal consequences against Israeli officials:“These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished…Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel.”
- Signed an August 2025 statement criticizing U.S. sanctions against ICC officials: “It is alarming to see a country show such continuing hostility towards the legal and peaceful actions of an independent tribunal set up by the international community.”
Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health
- Signed the August 6, 2024 Amicus Curiae Submission by the United Nations Mandate Holders of the Human Rights Council that recommended issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials for their activities in the Gaza Strip: “The request for arrest warrants should be processed expeditiously” (pg. 7). The rapporteurs argue that “the contention that the Court lacks jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for Israeli nationals due to limits on the State of Palestine’s own jurisdiction under the Accords is inconsistent with the Rome Statute” (pg. 5).
- Signed a March 23, 2023 letter to Karim Khan calling for “more resources to be dedicated to the investigation on the Situation in the State of Palestine, including possible crimes committed by private actors…”
K.P. Ashwini, Special Rapporteur on Racism
- Signed a March 23, 2023 letter to Karim Khan calling for “more resources to be dedicated to the investigation on the Situation in the State of Palestine, including possible crimes committed by private actors…”
- Signed a November 2024 OHCHR statement supporting the ICC’s arrest warrants issued against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and urging legal consequences against Israeli officials:“These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished…Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel.”
Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on Peaceful Assembly
- Signed a November 2024 OHCHR statement supporting the ICC’s arrest warrants issued against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and urging legal consequences against Israeli officials:“These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished…Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel.”
- Signed a February 2025 letter to the U.S. government defending ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials and criticizing U.S. ICC sanctions: “We would like to recall with urgency that Special Procedures mandate-holders…have raised concerns about war crimes…reminding all governments they have a duty to…investigate and prosecute international crimes” (pg. 8).
Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on Internally Displaced People
- Signed a March 23, 2023 letter to Karim Khan calling for “more resources to be dedicated to the investigation on the Situation in the State of Palestine, including possible crimes committed by private actors…”
- Signed a November 2024 OHCHR statement supporting the ICC’s arrest warrants issued against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and urging legal consequences against Israeli officials:“These violations, often amounting to international crimes, must stop immediately and cannot go unpunished…Compliance with the arrest warrants is critical to overcome long-standing impunity, benefiting perpetrators, and to end grave crimes in the OPT and Israel.”
