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Benjamin Netanyahu backs Donald Trump's threat to impose sanctions on ICC

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Jun 12, 2020, 01:56 PM IST
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File photo of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photograph:(Reuters)

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Trump passed an executive order to block all property and assets in the US of anyone involved in investigating or prosecuting American forces

After US President Donald Trump threatened the International Criminal Court (ICC) of sanctions if they carry out investigations against US troops, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed his support for this move on Thursday. 

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"This court is politicised and obsessed with carrying out a headhunt against Israel and the United States as well as other democratic countries that respect human rights, but turns a blind eye to the world's worst human rights offenders, including the terrorist regime in Iran," Netanyahu said.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump passed an executive order to block all property and assets in the US of anyone involved in investigating or prosecuting American forces.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the US administration would not let its forces be "threatened by a kangaroo court".

The Trump administration has been furious with ICC over its probe into alleged atrocities in Afghanistan, the longest-running war of the US. 

In December 2019, when Hague-based court's chief prosecutor said of opening a full probe into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian regions, sharp reactions were seen from Israel and the US.

Both the US and Israel, its main Middle East ally, have refused to sign up to the ICC since its formation in 2002. 

(With inputs from AFP)