Sanctioned by US, ICC judge says he can no longer use credit cards or book online
Judge warns democratic institutions are at risk if officials act 'exclusively out of fear'
NEW YORK, United States (MNTV) – A French judge sanctioned by the United States after presiding over the panel that issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is struggling with basic daily transactions, cut off from nearly all payment systems in France due to their American ownership.
Judge Nicolas Gouyou told France TV that he can no longer use his bank card, order from Amazon, book through Airbnb or complete transactions on Expedia and Booking.com.
“We are going 30 years back in time,” he said. “It’s like a time machine returning us to a pre-digital world.”
France TV reported that President Emmanuel Macron had written seven letters requesting the lifting of the sanctions, but that US authorities had yet to respond favorably.
A source at the Elysée told the broadcaster that France was continuing to pursue the matter through diplomatic channels. Gouyou said he believed he would remain on the sanctions list for the duration of Trump’s second term.
The judge warned of broader consequences for democratic systems. “If prosecutors are afraid to prosecute, if lawyers are afraid to defend, if judges are afraid to judge, if parliamentarians are afraid to pass laws, and if ministers are afraid to enforce them, there is no more democracy,” he said.
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza from at least October 8, 2023 through May 20, 2024.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 71,000 people, injured over 172,000 and destroyed roughly 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure, with UN reconstruction costs estimated at around $70 billion.
Despite an October 2025 ceasefire, Israeli attacks have continued, killing at least 677 Palestinians since then according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
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