"In what can be seen as an incredible show of support for Israel, the U.S. administration has included the Jewish state in its efforts to block the International Criminal Court at The Hague from investigating war-crimes allegations. In a statement attributed to Trump, the White House said: 'Since the creation of the ICC, the United States has consistently declined to join the court because of its broad, unaccountable prosecutorial powers; the threat it poses to American national sovereignty; and other deficiencies that render it illegitimate. Any attempt to target American, Israeli or allied personnel for prosecution will be met with a swift and vigorous response.'...
Professor Eugene Kontorovich, director of international law at the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Policy Forum, testified on the ICC in Congress and advised senior American and Israeli officials on the court and its jurisdiction.
'President Trump has taken an extraordinary step in defense of Israel, promising to impose sanctions such as travel bans on ICC officials if they pursue their biased investigation of Israel,' Kontorovich said.
He added that when the ICC 'threw out its long-pending investigation into crimes committed by U.S. and other forces in Afghanistan, the Trump administration's hardball approach to fighting prosecutions of U.S. soldiers by the Hague-based ICC was totally vindicated.'
'Now,' Kontorovich said, 'the U.S. is promising to also impose sanctions on the court if it proceeds with an investigation into Israel about settlements in the West Bank. Israel, like the U.S., did not join the court's treaty. This is an extraordinary show of support from America and may help deter a biased and unjust investigation.'..."