The UK government has sent a serious warning to some of its top lawyers. These lawyers gave legal advice to the International Criminal Court (ICC) about possible war crimes committed during the conflict in Gaza. Now, they might be punished by the United States because of their involvement.
The lawyers helped the ICC decide if there was enough evidence to charge Israeli leaders with war crimes. Based on that legal advice, the ICC charged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a former defence minister for crimes related to Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The ICC also charged leaders from Hamas, the group that runs Gaza.
The UK Foreign Office, which deals with international matters, recently told these lawyers they could be at risk of US sanctions. Sanctions are punishments that can include things like freezing someone’s bank accounts or banning them from traveling to the United States.
These warnings come after the US issued an official order to punish the ICC’s chief prosecutor. The order also mentioned that more people could face punishment. The British government is now warning its own citizens that they might be next.
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What the Lawyers Did
The lawyers were asked by the ICC to help decide if there was enough proof to charge certain people with war crimes. War crimes are serious crimes that happen during war, like targeting civilians or using extreme force.
These legal experts studied the facts and evidence from the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. They were part of a group who gave their opinion to the court. The group included experienced judges and lawyers who have worked in international law for many years.
After looking at the evidence, the entire group agreed that there was enough proof to issue arrest warrants. That means the court believed certain leaders, including those from both Israel and Hamas, should be arrested and face trial.
Their work did not mean they were deciding guilt or innocence. It simply meant they believed there was enough reason to start a legal case and investigate further.
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US Action and UK Response
Earlier this year, Current US President Donald Trump signed an order that punished the ICC’s top prosecutor for moving ahead with the charges. The US government said that the court was acting unfairly and overstepping its powers. As part of that punishment, the prosecutor had their US assets frozen and was not allowed to enter the country.
The same order also said that more people could be added to the sanctions list in the future. There was a 60-day period for the US to decide who else might be punished. That deadline passed earlier this month, but no further action has been made public yet.
Because of this threat, the UK government is now telling the British lawyers involved in the ICC case to be careful. They were told they might also face sanctions for just doing their job and helping the international court. This warning has raised concerns about the safety and freedom of lawyers who work on international human rights and war crimes cases.
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So far, none of the lawyers have spoken publicly about the warning. Some did not respond to questions from reporters. The International Criminal Court also hasn’t made any new statements since the US issued the warning.
The UK’s warning to its lawyers was first reported in the media over the weekend. The issue is now getting attention from legal experts and governments around the world, as people wait to see if the US will move forward with more punishments.
The court’s arrest warrants are still in place, and the ICC continues its investigations into the actions taken during the Israel-Gaza conflict.
