ICC to probe alleged war crimes in Palestinian areas, pending jurisdiction

[rooster59]

ICC to probe alleged war crimes in Palestinian areas, pending jurisdiction

By Stephanie van den Berg

 

FILE PHOTO: Public Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda attends a trial at the ICC (International Criminal Court) in The Hague, the Netherlands July 8,2019. REUTERS/Eva Plevier/Pool

 

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor said on Friday she would launch a full investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian Territories as soon as the court's jurisdiction had been established.

 

The announcement opens the possibility of charges being filed against Israelis or Palestinians.

 

The Palestinians welcomed the decision but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country captured the West Bank and Gaza Strip in a 1967 war, said the ICC had no jurisdiction to investigate the Palestinian Territories.

 

The ICC's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said a preliminary examination into alleged war crimes, opened in 2015, had provided enough information to meet all criteria for opening an investigation.

 

"I am satisfied that ... war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip," Bensouda said in a statement.

 

She said she had filed a request with judges for a jurisdictional ruling because of the contested legal status of the Palestinian territories.

 

"Specifically, I have sought confirmation that the 'territory' over which the court may exercise its jurisdiction, and which I may subject to investigation, comprises the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza," Bensouda said.

 

Determining where she can investigate should be resolved before she starts an investigation "and not settled only later by judges after my investigations are completed," she said.

 

It is not clear when a decision would be made but Bensouda said she had asked the court to "rule expeditiously" and to allow potential victims to participate in proceedings.

 

"Palestine welcomes this step as a long overdue step to move the process forward towards an investigation, after nearly five long and difficult years of preliminary examination," the Palestinian Authority, a limited self-rule body in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, said in a statement.

 

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said the ICC decision was "a dark day in the history of Israel".

 

Netanyahu said the ICC had no jurisdiction in the case.

 

"The ICC only has jurisdiction over petitions submitted by sovereign states. But there has never been a Palestinian state," he said in a statement.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement the United States did not believe Palestinians qualified as a sovereign state and added: "We firmly oppose this and any other action that seeks to target Israel unfairly."

 

The ICC has the authority to hear cases of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the 123 countries that have signed up to it. Israel has not joined the court but the Palestinian Authority has done so.

 

The ICC prosecutors said in December that a preliminary investigation on the West Bank had focused on "reported settlement-related activities engaged in by Israeli authorities".

 

The Palestinians and many countries consider the settlements to be illegal under the Geneva Conventions that bar settling on land captured in war. Israel disputes this, citing security needs and biblical, historical and political connections to the land.

 

The prosecutor's office has also looked into allegations of Israeli violations in Gaza and that Palestinian security services in the West Bank have committed torture and that Palestinian authorities paid families of Palestinians involved in attacks on Israelis.

 

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, additional reporting by Rami Ayyub in Jerusalem and Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Writing by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by David Clarke, Timothy Heritage and Sandra Malr)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-01

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[Bluespunk]

6 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement the United States did not believe Palestinians qualified as a sovereign state and added: "We firmly oppose this and any other action that seeks to target Israel unfairly."

Quelle Surprise 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

The ICC prosecutors said in December that a preliminary investigation on the West Bank had focused on "reported settlement-related activities engaged in by Israeli authorities".

That's great news.

We need sanctions against Israel until they remove all their illegal settlements.

[billd766]

What a surprise. The Israeli tail wagging the US dog again.

 

If the Israeli government has nothing to hide they should welcome an investigation, however they are opposing it, along with the US.

 

Does that mean that they have something to hide?

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

What a surprise. The Israeli tail wagging the US dog again.

 

If the Israeli government has nothing to hide they should welcome an investigation, however they are opposing it, along with the US.

 

Does that mean that they have something to hide?

 

Or they just don't want the ICC, about as effective and useful as the UN, stirring the <deleted> for their own egos. 

 

 

[billd766]

 

Netanyahu's and Trump's egos are always on the lookout for inflating, no matter what size they grow to.

 

Whilst Trump may think he rules the world, he actually doesn't. If there is a ruling that the USA or Israel dislike they puff up like bullfrogs with their own self importance.

[Elfin]

• Report post
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Posted 1 hour ago

  2 hours ago, billd766 said:

What a surprise. The Israeli tail wagging the US dog again.

 

If the Israeli government has nothing to hide they should welcome an investigation, however they are opposing it, along with the US.

 

Does that mean that they have something to hide?

 

Or they just don't want the ICC, about as effective and useful as the UN, stirring the <deleted> for their own egos.

 

This is not stirring the poo nor is it about egos. Serious war crimes have been happening in the Occupied Territories for decades with Israeli impunity in an endless supply. Those who are guilty on both sides should be brought before a world court to have justice served upon them.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, Elfin said:

• Report post
•  
•  
•  
•  #5

Posted 1 hour ago

  2 hours ago, billd766 said:

What a surprise. The Israeli tail wagging the US dog again.

 

If the Israeli government has nothing to hide they should welcome an investigation, however they are opposing it, along with the US.

 

Does that mean that they have something to hide?

 

Or they just don't want the ICC, about as effective and useful as the UN, stirring the <deleted> for their own egos.

 

This is not stirring the poo nor is it about egos. Serious war crimes have been happening in the Occupied Territories for decades with Israeli impunity in an endless supply. Those who are guilty on both sides should be brought before a world court to have justice served upon them.

The usual suspects supporting Israel and the USA against the rest of the world.

[RideJocky]

So does this mean the Palestinians will stop with the rockets? 

[dexterm]

Israel has killed nearly 3 Palestinians per week this year. 
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/israel-has-killed-nearly-3-palestinians-week-year-0

 

Someone needs to investigate, despite objections from the usual loudest voices. Much easier for Pompeo to attempt to stifle criticism of Israel's brutal inhumane treatment of a people they have illegally occupied for 52 years, and to sweep these uncomfortable truths under the carpet. Simply on the legal technicality that he doesn't believe Palestine is a sovereign state.

[RideJocky]

8 hours ago, dexterm said:

Israel has killed nearly 3 Palestinians per week this year. 
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/israel-has-killed-nearly-3-palestinians-week-year-0

 

Someone needs to investigate, despite objections from the usual loudest voices. Much easier for Pompeo to attempt to stifle criticism of Israel's brutal inhumane treatment of a people they have illegally occupied for 52 years, and to sweep these uncomfortable truths under the carpet. Simply on the legal technicality that he doesn't believe Palestine is a sovereign state.

Brutal inhuman treatment of people that seem to spend every waking moment and every available resource up to and including their children in an effort to exterminate the Jewish people and annihilate the state of Israel. 
 

 

[Sujo]

7 hours ago, RideJocky said:

Brutal inhuman treatment of people that seem to spend every waking moment and every available resource up to and including their children in an effort to exterminate the Jewish people and annihilate the state of Israel. 
 

 

Then dont build settlements near them