Advertisement
George Clooney might be facing a tough personal and diplomatic challenge as reports emerge that his wife, Amal Clooney, could soon be barred from entering the United States. Amal, a prominent British human rights lawyer, is reportedly among several UK legal experts who have been warned about possible sanctions due to their advisory roles with the International Criminal Court (ICC) concerning investigations into the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The Financial Times reports that Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has alerted Amal and other senior UK lawyers that their work with the ICC might lead to US government sanctions—potentially including travel bans and financial restrictions. These warnings come amid escalating tensions around the ICC’s inquiry into alleged war crimes in the ongoing Israel-Gaza situation.
This isn’t without precedent: ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, also a British resident, has already been sanctioned, his assets frozen, and was banned from entering the US.
If such sanctions are imposed on Amal, it would seriously affect her ability to travel to or work in the US, despite her deep professional connections there. Born in Lebanon and raised in the UK, Amal studied at Oxford and NYU, and has been a member of the New York Bar since 2002.
The travel restrictions would also complicate her personal life. Amal and George Clooney, married since 2014 and parents to 7-year-old twins Alexander and Ella, own homes worldwide—including in New York and California.
Though no official sanctions have been announced yet, this looming possibility highlights the difficult crossroads of international justice and geopolitics. For the Clooneys, this could mean unprecedented limits on their usual transatlantic lifestyle and freedom of movement.