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Rubio says US sanctioning ICC judges for targeting Israel

AL-Monitor
Dec 18, 2025
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a U.S.-Paraguay Status of Forces agreement signing ceremony at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a U.S.-Paraguay Status of Forces agreement signing ceremony at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt — Kevin Mohatt

Dec 18 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary ​of State Marco ​Rubio said on Thursday ⁠that the U.S. was sanctioning two judges of the International ​Criminal Court for ‍targeting Israel.

"Today, I ​am designating two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and ⁠Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, pursuant to Executive Order 14203," Rubio said in a statement, referring to the order President Donald Trump signed ​in February ⁠sanctioning the ⁠ICC.

"These individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or ‌prosecute Israeli nationals, ​without Israel's consent," he said.

The United States and Israel are not members ‍of the ICC.

The U.S. sanctions in February include freezing ‌any U.S. assets of ‌those designated and barring them and their families from visiting the United States.

(Reporting by ⁠Bhargav Acharya: Editing by Caitlin Webber)