continued…….. According to diplomatic sources at the New York Rights Forum, the discussions include three main restrictions on the Rome Statute.
First, granting immunity to heads of state and government, protecting leaders such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump from prosecution.
Second, denying the court jurisdiction over citizens of non-state parties who commit crimes on the territory of member states, which would undermine efforts to hold Israeli or US officials accountable for crimes in Palestine.
Third, prohibiting the International Criminal Court from intervening whenever a country enacts domestic legislation covering a crime, even if local authorities fail or refuse to investigate.
"This erosion is so drastic that, according to legal experts, it will amount to the dissolution of the court," warns the rights forum.
The negotiations are reportedly being hampered by US sanctions targeting International Criminal Court judges and prosecutors in retaliation for investigations into Israel's operations in Palestine.
With key US sanctions scheduled to come into full force in April 2027, EU capitals are facing pressure over whether to implement blocking mechanisms.
It seems that the Dutch government is pursuing a compromise that the rights forum claims will leave the national court "a powerless court".
When asked for a response to these reports, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided "a meaningless general statement [that] does not address the specific questions asked," according to the rights forum.