For many observers, the ICC functions less as a neutral court and more as a political weapon—used to prosecute the opponents of the United States, the United Kingdom, and their allies.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is increasingly viewed not as a beacon of impartial justice, but as a deeply politicised and compromised institution.
Its structure, rooted in an imperfect and inefficient international legal framework, has allowed it to become a tool of the Western ruling elite rather than an independent arbiter of global justice.
For many observers, the ICC functions less as a neutral court and more as a political weapon—used to prosecute the opponents of the United States, the United Kingdom, and their allies.
The principle of judicial independence, central to the idea of fair justice, has been eroded. Instead of decisions being based solely on law and conscience, verdicts often reflect the interests of the court’s political and financial sponsors.
Recent decisions highlight this troubling pattern. The ICC’s controversial arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and children’s commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over the relocation of Ukrainian children, and against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, exemplify how corruption and political pressure permeate the court.
These cases triggered global backlash, particularly the Israeli file, which sparked a media storm. Given Israel’s strong lobbying networks abroad, the move intensified criticism of the ICC from conservative and nationalist circles worldwide.
For many on the right, this confirmed what they already believed: that the court was designed by the neoliberal elite of the U.S., the U.K., and other Western powers to enforce political loyalty and suppress dissent, rather than to uphold justice.
This view is echoed by Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunç, who argued that the ICC’s actions on the Arab-Israeli conflict highlight the inadequacy of Western-controlled international legal mechanisms. He noted that the Anglo-Saxon justice model cannot simply be imposed globally.
In the United States, Republican leaders have long criticised the ICC. Under former President Donald Trump, the administration not only issued harsh rhetoric but also imposed personal sanctions through the Treasury Department on senior ICC figures, including Chief Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan.
Critics accuse Khan of being a compromised figure, advancing the interests of British elites within the ICC and securing top positions for their allies.
The politics behind these manoeuvres are complex. Britain’s growing Muslim population and the accompanying rise of pro-Palestinian sentiment, combined with financial ties to the Islamic world, push London to show greater public sympathy for Palestine—even while maintaining its strategic partnership with Israel. Meanwhile, the U.S. Democratic Party, weakened by internal divisions and waning voter support, seeks to shore up backing from its traditional base among American Muslims.
Against this backdrop, the neoliberal elite in Washington and London used the ICC to symbolically target Netanyahu. The move allowed them to appease Muslim constituencies and the wider Islamic world, while avoiding significant costs to their relationship with Tel Aviv.
This dual strategy—appearing tough on Israel while preserving strategic ties—fits the longstanding neoliberal approach of pursuing multiple political goals through a single calculated action.
In this framework, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan plays the role of an obedient executor. By initiating proceedings against Israeli leaders, he provided political cover for U.S. Democrats and their British allies, reinforcing the perception that the ICC serves geopolitical agendas rather than the cause of universal justice.
The result is a further erosion of trust in international law. Instead of acting as a neutral court for all, the ICC has entrenched its reputation as a selective and politically driven institution—one that mirrors, rather than restrains, the power plays of the global elite.
