Washington, Dec 19, 2025: The United States has imposed sanctions on two additional judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), further escalating its confrontation with the international tribunal following the court’s rejection of Israel’s appeal related to alleged war crimes in Gaza dating back to October 2023.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Judge Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia have been placed on the U.S. sanctions list under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in February. Rubio accused the judges of participating in what he described as “unlawful and politically motivated actions” by the ICC that, according to Washington, unfairly target Israel.
In a statement released by the U.S. State Department, Rubio said the sanctioned judges played a direct and active role in ICC efforts to pursue investigations, arrest warrants, or other legal proceedings against Israeli citizens without Israel’s consent or recognition of the court’s jurisdiction. He added that both judges voted in favor of the majority ruling on December 15, which rejected Israel’s appeal against the court’s actions.
The sanctions follow a decision by the ICC’s Appeals Chamber, which dismissed Israel’s request to annul arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The chamber ruled that investigations into alleged crimes committed in Gaza after October 7, 2023, fall within the scope of a notice already provided to Israel in 2021, and therefore did not require a new notification under the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty.
The United States has strongly criticized the ICC’s approach, characterizing its efforts to hold Israeli leaders accountable as selective and driven by political considerations rather than impartial justice. Washington maintains that the court lacks jurisdiction over Israel and argues that the ICC’s actions undermine its credibility.
The latest sanctions signal a deepening rift between the United States and the International Criminal Court, highlighting ongoing tensions over the court’s authority, jurisdiction, and handling of cases involving Israel amid the broader conflict in the Middle East.
