02 Apr 2021; MEMO: The administration of US President Joe Biden plans to revoke the sanctions imposed by his predecessor, President Donald Trump, on the International Criminal Court (ICC) top officials as early as this week, the Foreign Policy magazine reported.
"Much as we disagree with the ICC's actions relating to the Afghanistan and Palestinian situations, the administration is thoroughly reviewing sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13928 as we determine our next steps," the report quoted an unnamed State Department spokesperson as saying.
Last January, Israel expressed concern that the Biden administration might reconsider the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on the ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, and a top deputy over plans to investigate war crimes committed by US personnel in Afghanistan as well as crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinians.
In June 2020, Trump issued an executive order authorizing the imposition of economic sanctions against any ICC officials participating in the investigation of "allied personnel without that ally's consent."
