WASHINGTON.CAIRO - The US administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on two more International Criminal Court (ICC) judges after The Hague-based court rejected Israel's bid to block the ongoing probe into alleged crimes in Gaza.
The two ICC judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze and Erdenebalsuren Damdin, "have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel's consent", said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement.
The two judges voted with the majority in favor of the ICC's ruling against Israel's appeal on Monday, according to the statement.
The ICC on Thursday strongly rejected the new US sanctions, saying "these sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates pursuant to the mandate conferred by its States Parties from across regions."
"Such measures targeting judges and prosecutors who were elected by the States Parties undermine the rule of law. When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk," said the court in a statement.
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The United States has previously sanctioned nine elected officials of the ICC's Judiciary and the Office of the Prosecutor, according to the court.
The ICC was established under the Rome Statute to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United States and Israel are not parties to the treaty.
Egypt's gas deal with Israel
Separately, Egypt's State Information Service (SIS) said the recently announced natural gas deal with Israel is strictly commercial and carries no political implications, dismissing media reports that suggested otherwise.
In a statement, SIS Chairman Diaa Rashwan said the deal is "a purely commercial transaction" based on economic and investment considerations, involving international energy companies such as US-based Chevron and specialized Egyptian firms, without "direct government intervention".
He said the deal supports Egypt's strategic aim of cementing its position as a regional gas trading hub, underpinned by advanced liquefaction plants and gas transport infrastructure.
Rashwan cautioned against what he called "hostile media campaigns" that seek to politicize the deal, noting that its timing does not change its commercial nature.
He also reiterated Egypt's "firm and unwavering" stance on the Palestinian cause, including support for a two-state solution and opposition to forced displacement, highlighting Egypt's diplomatic role in Gaza reconstruction efforts.
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had approved a gas deal worth 112 billion shekels ($34.7 billion) under which Israel will supply natural gas to Egypt, calling it "the largest gas deal in Israel's history".
