The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned an executive order expected to be issued by President Trump placing financial sanctions on officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) – and their family members – involved in investigations of the Israeli governments war crimes the latest “lawless Israel First” policy.
The president is expected to sign an executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court, accusing the body of improperly targeting the United States and Israel. The order will include both financial sanctions and visa restrictions against unspecified ICC officials and their family members found to have assisted in ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or allies.
SEE: Trump to sign an executive order sanctioning the International Criminal Court
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“Bullying the International Criminal Court is a desperate tactic to intimidate those who uphold international law and seek accountability for Israeli war crimes in Gaza. It’s a ‘lawless Israel first’ policy that further damages the reputation of the United States, which has already been harmed greatly by our nation’s complicity with Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Instead of kowtowing to Israel and doing the bidding of its genocidal government, the president should act in the interests of our nation.
“Americans want more oversight on those in power, not less. From his firing of independent U.S. inspector generals to this order, it is obvious that President Trump wants no oversight of his actions or those of the far-right Israeli government of indicted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu. American greatness relies on check and balances, never on one man’s whims.”
CAIR has previously opposed a bill that would sanction the ICC for charging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with war crimes.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com