International

UK lawyers warned of possible US sanctions over ICC Gaza investigation advice

Saturday, 26 April 2025 12:06AM UTC

Senior British legal advisers to the ICC on allegations against Israeli officials risk sanctions from the Trump administration, according to FCDO warnings amid escalating tensions over war crimes investigations.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has reportedly warned several senior British lawyers that they could face sanctions from the Trump administration due to their involvement in advising the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Israel’s conduct in Gaza. These warnings come amid heightened tensions over the ICC’s war crimes investigation targeting Israeli officials.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the lawyers receiving warnings include Lord Justice Adrian Fulford, a former senior British judge; Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws, a Labour peer; and Danny Friedman, a barrister at Matrix Chambers. These individuals were among a panel of legal experts who provided advice on whether there was sufficient evidence for the ICC to pursue charges related to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

The ICC had issued arrest warrants last year for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to Israel’s offensive in Gaza. The court also charged three Hamas leaders, though those individuals are deceased. The panel of lawyers, which also included Judge Theodor Meron, former president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and Elizabeth Wilmshurst KC, unanimously supported the ICC’s decision to file these charges.

In February 2020, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order imposing sanctions on ICC prosecutor Karim Khan. The order also cautioned that further sanctions could be imposed “on those responsible for the ICC’s transgressions.” These sanctions entail blocking property and assets and suspending entry into the United States. The executive order set a 60-day deadline for recommendations on further sanctions, which elapsed on 7 April, but no additional designations have been announced to date.

Attempts to obtain comment from the White House, the US State Department, the FCDO, and the ICC have not yielded immediate responses. Likewise, Baroness Helena Kennedy and Amal Clooney, also a leading human rights barrister who advised the ICC, have not responded to requests for comment. Danny Friedman declined to comment, while Lord Justice Fulford, Elizabeth Wilmshurst, and Judge Meron were not immediately reachable.

The accused Israeli officials have denied the charges. Netanyahu and Gallant described the allegations as “absurd and false lies.”

The FCDO’s warnings to the British legal advisers were first disclosed by the Observer and highlight the ongoing diplomatic and legal complexities surrounding the ICC’s investigation and the US government’s stance on the court’s actions regarding Israel.

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://qudsnen.co/uk-warns-top-british-lawyers-of-potential-u-s-sanctions-over-icc-case-against-israel/ - This article corroborates the claim that the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office warned senior British lawyers they could face U.S. sanctions for advising the ICC on Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2025/03/what-do-the-trump-administrations-sanctions-on-the-icc-mean-for-justice-and-human-rights/ - This source details the Trump administration’s executive order imposing sanctions on ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, explaining the sanctions and their link to the ICC’s investigation into alleged war crimes by Israeli officials.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/trump-lawyer-netanyahu-icc-prosecution-karim-khan-b2652280.html - This article confirms the ICC issued arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Gallant over war crimes in Gaza, and highlights the Trump administration’s consideration of sanctions against those involved.
https://www.icjpalestine.com/2025/02/05/icjp-letters-to-foreign-office-ask-for-clear-responses-to-trump-policy/ - The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians’ letter to the UK Foreign Office references the Trump administration’s policies around sanctions on the ICC and broader political measures relating to Gaza and Palestine, supporting the context of the sanctions warnings.
https://truthout.org/articles/human-rights-defenders-sue-trump-administration-over-sanctions-on-icc-prosecutor/ - This article supports the information about ongoing sanctions against ICC prosecutor Karim Khan by the Trump administration and the legal pushback by human rights defenders, contextualizing the executive order and its impact.
https://qudsnen.co/uk-warns-top-british-lawyers-of-potential-u-s-sanctions-over-icc-case-against-israel/ - This source also identifies the specific British lawyers warned by the FCDO, such as Lord Justice Adrian Fulford, Baroness Helena Kennedy, and Danny Friedman, confirming their role advising the ICC on the investigation.
https://www.ft.com/content/18f25482-3c7f-4fb2-b069-0a758fb4dd73 - Please view link - unable to able to access data

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 6

Notes: Mentions a February 2020 Trump executive order and subsequent 60-day deadline (expired April 2020), but reports recent developments (unclear timeline for FCDO warnings). No press release detected - freshness hinges on recent disclosure by Observer.

Quotes check

Score: 8

Notes: No direct quotes from primary sources (lawyers/agencies). Highlights first disclosure via Observer, suggesting original sourcing. Netanyahu/Gallant's denial quotes lack verifiable timestamps or original attribution.

Source reliability

Score: 9

Notes: Narrative originates from FT (reputable) citing Observer. Multiple named sources (Fulford, Kennedy, Friedman) lend credibility, though unverified comments reduce immediacy.

Plausability check

Score: 7

Notes: Aligned with known Trump-era ICC tensions and recent ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials. Lack of official confirmations reduces certainty, but contextual consistency supports plausibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: Credible sourcing and plausible context offset by undated FCDO warnings and lack of primary-source verification. Requires independent confirmation of sanction threats against named individuals.

International Criminal Court
UK lawyers
US sanctions
Gaza investigation
Israel