Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday designated three NGOs - Al Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al Mezan) and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) - pursuant to Executive Order 14203, "Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court." "These entities have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel's consent," Rubio said in a press release. According to Kuwait News Agency, Rubio emphasized that the United States and Israel are not party to the Rome Statute and are therefore not subject to the ICC's authority. He stated the administration's opposition to the ICC's agenda, citing concerns over its overreach and impact on the sovereignty of the United States and its allies. Rubio warned of the dangerous precedent set by the ICC's actions and pledged active opposition to any measures that threaten US national interests and those of its allies. He further mentioned that the United States will re spond with significant consequences to protect its troops and sovereignty, as well as that of its allies, from what he described as the ICC's overreach. Rubio concluded by stating that measures would be taken against entities complicit in the ICC's actions.
