This French judge approved Netanyahu’s arrest warrant. Now Trump is targeting him | Owen Jones
In a striking development within international law and diplomacy, three judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC) have been sanctioned by the United States, placing them on a list typically reserved for terrorists and criminal organizations. This unprecedented move follows their decision to approve arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Mohammed Deif, the ex-commander of Hamas’s military wing. The U.S. government accused the judges of engaging in what it termed “illegitimate and baseless actions” against Israel, marking a significant escalation in the contentious relationship between the ICC and the U.S., particularly regarding Israel’s actions in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Among those sanctioned is French judge Nicolas Guillou, whose personal and professional life has been severely impacted by these sanctions. Guillou’s experience serves as a potent illustration of the broader implications of this geopolitical conflict. He has found himself unable to conduct even basic activities, such as booking a hotel room online, as his reservations were swiftly canceled due to his status on the U.S. sanctions list. This list, which includes around 15,000 individuals, equates him with figures like Vladimir Putin and members of terrorist organizations, highlighting the serious ramifications of the U.S. response. The sanctions not only bar Guillou and his colleagues from entering the United States but also restrict their access to international banking systems, effectively isolating them from the global financial network.
The situation raises critical questions about the integrity of the rules-based international order and the extent to which political motivations can influence judicial decisions. Critics argue that the U.S. sanctions reflect an alarming trend of using economic and diplomatic pressure to undermine international legal institutions, particularly those that challenge U.S. foreign policy or its allies. As the ICC continues to pursue accountability for war crimes and human rights violations, the repercussions faced by its judges underscore the precarious balance between law and politics in global governance. This incident not only highlights the challenges faced by international institutions but also serves as a reminder of the ongoing complexities surrounding justice in conflict zones, particularly in the Middle East.
Three ICC judges have been put on a sanctions
list with terrorists after approving an arrest warrant for Israel’s prime minister.
This is the charade of the ‘rules-based order’
The fate of one French judge is a case study in the west’s long unravelling. Nicolas Guillou cannot shop online. When he used Expedia to book a hotel in his own country, the reservation was cancelled within hours. He is “blacklisted by much of the world’s banking system”, unable to use most bank cards.
Guillou, you see, has been sanctioned by the United States, putting him on a
15,000-strong list
alongside al-Qaida terrorists, drug cartels and Vladimir Putin. Why? Because alongside two other judges of the international criminal court pre-trial chamber I, he approved arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, and Mohammed Deif, the former commander of Hamas’s military wing. Guillou and his colleagues had “actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel”,
the US claimed
when imposing the sanctions in June. All are now barred from entering the US – but that is the least of the consequences.
Owen Jones is a Guardian columnist
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