Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Founding Chair GSRRA, Sinologist, Diplomat, Editor, Analyst, Advisor, Consultant, Researcher at Global South Economic and Trade Cooperation Research Center, and Non-Resident Fellow of CCG. (E-mail: awanzamir@yahoo.com).

The international community finds itself at a critical juncture, as questions about justice, accountability, and human dignity collide with geopolitical interests. In the latest development, the United States has imposed sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), following the Court’s issuance of arrest warrants against senior Israeli leaders and its ongoing investigation into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, responded with a firm and principled statement, calling on the U.S. to reverse the sanctions. He warned that “attacks against judges” are antithetical to “respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law – values for which the U.S. has long stood.” Sadly, this appeal seems to fall on deaf ears.

The sanctioned judges—Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia—are accomplished jurists with deep records in the pursuit of justice. These sanctions block any property or assets they may hold in the U.S. and require financial institutions to report dealings to the U.S. Treasury. The International Criminal Court condemned these actions as “a clear attempt to undermine” its independence.

A Disturbing Pattern of Impunity

These sanctions are not isolated. They are part of a broader trend in which the U.S. has consistently shielded Israel from accountability, even amid growing global outrage over its military conduct in Gaza. From unflinching military support to repeated vetoes in the United Nations Security Council, the U.S. has often positioned itself as Israel’s chief defender—regardless of the legal and moral implications.

Most strikingly, the U.S. has used its veto power to block multiple Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Even close allies such as France, the United Kingdom, and Japan have either opposed these vetoes or abstained from voting. The cost of this political maneuvering is paid not in diplomacy, but in human lives—civilians in Gaza, including women and children, who continue to endure famine, displacement, and bombardment.

The U.S. has also given unqualified support to Israel’s controversial 2017 decision to move its capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This unilateral move, widely condemned internationally, undermined decades of diplomatic efforts and the prospect of a two-state solution. In the General Assembly, 128 countries voted against the U.S. decision, a global rebuke that should have been a moment of reflection in Washington.

Enabling Atrocities

It is not an exaggeration to say that the United States is increasingly seen as a partner—if not an enabler—in the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. Billions in U.S. military aid to Israel have supported operations that many human rights organizations describe as disproportionate and indiscriminate, potentially amounting to war crimes and even genocide.

In May 2025, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing "reasonable grounds" that they bear responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. An arrest warrant was also issued for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, though Hamas later confirmed his death in an airstrike.

Both Israel and Hamas deny the allegations, but the ICC’s willingness to investigate all sides reflects its commitment to impartial justice. The U.S., however, views these efforts as “illegitimate,” with Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing the Court of "politicization" and “abuse of power.”

Such accusations ring hollow. The ICC operates under the Rome Statute, ratified by 124 countries, and intervenes only when national jurisdictions fail to act. By sanctioning ICC judges—especially women judges of color who represent global legal diversity—the U.S. is not protecting sovereignty; it is protecting impunity.

Eroding America’s Global Image

The consequences for America’s reputation are severe. Once regarded as a global leader in promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the U.S. is increasingly perceived as a country willing to bend legal norms for political convenience. The message these actions send is clear: when international justice challenges our allies or our interests, we will undermine it.

This duplicity has not gone unnoticed. In the Global South, where nations have long struggled to be heard in international forums, the perception of double standards is fueling disillusionment. Many countries now see U.S. policy as an obstacle to justice rather than a guarantor of it.

America’s credibility has been further damaged by its hostility toward the ICC’s investigation into U.S. conduct in Afghanistan. In 2020, then-President Trump imposed sanctions on ICC prosecutors, including Karim Khan, for pursuing these investigations. Those sanctions were later lifted by the Biden administration, only to be replaced now with renewed measures under the current leadership.

These shifting policies not only reflect inconsistency but also a dangerous precedent: that powerful nations can threaten judges to avoid accountability. This is not leadership—it is intimidation.

A Moral and Strategic Failure

America’s defense of Israel at all costs is not only morally questionable—it is strategically short-sighted. As images of starving children, bombed hospitals, and mass graves in Gaza circulate globally, the U.S. risks long-term alienation from younger generations, emerging nations, and even its own allies.

Supporting Israel does not require endorsing every action it takes. True friendship means encouraging restraint, legality, and respect for human dignity. Instead, the U.S. has chosen to shield even the most egregious violations, thereby tying its own legacy to the suffering of innocent civilians.

This is not just a foreign policy failure. It is a failure of conscience.

A Call to Action

At this critical juncture, the world must not remain passive. The international community, civil society, religious leaders, and institutions of justice must speak out clearly and unequivocally. What is at stake is not just the fate of Palestinians or the credibility of the ICC—it is the future of global justice itself.

We must urgently call for:

The immediate withdrawal of U.S. sanctions on ICC judges, restoring respect for judicial independence.

An immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza to prevent further loss of life.

Full access for humanitarian aid organizations to alleviate famine and displacement.

Support for the ICC and all international institutions committed to justice and accountability.

An end to all forms of impunity, regardless of who the perpetrator is.

The Time for Moral Courage

The U.S. has a choice to make. It can continue down a path of moral compromise and political expediency, or it can reclaim its role as a principled global leader that upholds justice even when it is difficult. The recent sanctions on ICC judges, the blanket support for Israel’s military operations, and the repeated vetoes of peace initiatives have placed America on the wrong side of history.

These actions not only betray the victims of conflict—they betray the very ideals upon which the United States was founded. The world is watching. History is recording. And the moral cost of silence will be too high to bear.

Let us act—before the black spot of complicity becomes permanent.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)