As Trump sanctions ICC, Egypt’s Al-Azhar warns of ‘weakening global system, turning world into jungle’

CAIRO – 7 February 2025: US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) for investigations of Israel, a close US ally. Egypt’s Al-Azhar has warned of the consequences of such actions.

Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the thousand-year-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning, warned of the repercussions of measures against international institutions that play a crucial role in maintaining international peace and security, foremost among them the ICC.

Al-Azhar commended in a statement on Friday the important role played by the court in “exposing Israeli violations during the aggression against Gaza, imposing just sanctions.”

The Islamic institution emphasized the dangers of suggesting sanctions against the ICC and attempts to obstruct its ability to fulfill its mission, warning of the consequences.

Al-Azhar stated that such decisions can cause “the loss of trust in international institutions and the international community, weakening the global system’s institutions and charters.

Consequences include “establishing a new order governed by the factors of power and control over authority and weapons, turning the world into a jungle where the strong devour the rights of the weak and oppressed.”

Al-Azhar called for an end to issuing these “erratic” statements and decisions, and for putting a stop to threats of cutting funding and halting operations as a continuous threat to international institutions, pressuring them to change their positions and adopt unjust stances.

It stressed the necessity for all countries to adhere to the decisions issued by these institutions, to preserve their integrity, and to refrain from interfering in their work.

Trump’s executive order accuses the ICC of engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”

The order claims that the court abused its power by issuing "baseless" arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.

Trump announced the sanctions after receiving Netanyahu in the White House last week.

Dozens of ICC member states have voiced "unwavering support" to the ICC in the face of Trump’s sanctions, describing the court as a pillar of international justice system.

The ICC, which encompasses 125 countries, called upon its member states and global civil society on Friday to “stand united for justice and fundamental human rights,” vowing to continue “providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world.”