US State Department Imposes Sanctions on Palestinian Human Rights Groups
In a bold move, the US State Department has slapped sanctions on three Palestinian human rights groups that dared to call for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into alleged war crimes committed by Israeli leaders in Gaza.
Late last year, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and a deceased Hamas official.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Thursday that the US will sanction the three NGOs – Al Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights – for their involvement in what he labeled as the ICC’s “illegitimate targeting of Israel.”
Rubio stated that these organizations “have directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent.”
The US sanctions were imposed shortly after leading genocide scholars accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel vehemently denied the allegations, calling them a “campaign of lies” by Hamas.
Al Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR condemned the US sanctions as “immoral, illegal, and undemocratic” in a joint statement.
Back in November of 2023, the three groups filed a lawsuit with the ICC, urging the prosecutor to investigate Israel for various alleged crimes in Gaza, including airstrikes on densely populated areas, forced displacement, and the use of toxic gas.
In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and a Hamas official for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Trump administration has been actively targeting organizations involved in ICC investigations into Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The White House has criticized the ICC and imposed sanctions on individuals associated with it.
Amnesty International condemned the US sanctions as a “shameful assault on human rights and the global pursuit of justice.”
