ICC opens inquiry into possible war crimes in Palestinian territories
Published time: January 16, 2015 15:25
Edited time: January 16, 2015 17:27
Edited time: January 16, 2015 17:27
Smoke rises following what witnesses said were Israeli air strikes in Gaza August 23, 2014.(Reuters / Ahmed Zakot)
4.1K380
Trends
Tags
The
International Criminal Court in the Hague has opened a “preliminary
examination” of possible war crimes conducted on Palestinian territory
during the last year's military conflict with Israel in Gaza.
A
preliminary examination is the first step in the court’s legal process,
and evaluates whether a full investigation is necessary.
In a statement released on the ICC website, its Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda promised that her office “will conduct its analysis in full independence and impartiality,” mentioning that no deadline has been set for announcing the results of the investigation.
Although
the court may address fundamental issues, such as Israel’s occupation
of Palestinian territories following the 1967 war, the examination is
likely to home on in on specific violations during the IDF incursion
into Gaza last summer, in which more than 2,000 Palestinians, and 60
Israelis died.
"The case is now in the hands of the court," Nabil Abuznaid, head of the Palestinian delegation in The Hague, told Reuters. "It is a legal matter now and we have faith in the court system."
Israel has lashed out at the proposed examination, calling the fast-track decision"scandalous."
“This
same court which after more than 200,000 deaths didn’t see fit to
intervene in what was taking place in Syria or in Libya or in other
places now finds it worthwhile to ‘examine’ the most moral army in the
world,” said foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman in a statement.
Reuters / Jerry Lampen
“This decision entirely stems from anti-Israel political considerations.”
The Palestinian Authority will officially join the ICC on April 1, while Israel is not a member.
Israel
and the US have vehemently protested Palestine's accession, claiming it
will embroil the sides in a potential decades-long legal battle, and
stall a negotiated diplomatic solution. Jerusalem has suspended $125
million in monthly financial transfers to the PA to signal its
displeasure.
For
Palestine, the ICC offers not only the chance to officially address its
qualms with Israel's action, but another milestone on the path to full
statehood. The move does, however, leave Palestine open to potential
attacks on its own war crimes record, including the sponsorship of
construction of rockets aimed at Israeli towns, and the use of civilians
as human shields for terrorists.
No comments:
Post a Comment