The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, announced yesterday that she wants to open a comprehensive investigation into possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories.
"I express my satisfaction that there is a reasonable basis for continuing to investigate the situation in Palestine," Bensouda said. She added that before the investigation opens, she will ask the court, based in The Hague, to decide what lands are within its jurisdiction, because Israel is not a member of the court.
In Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority welcomed the announcement by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court that the preliminary study phase in the case in Palestine had ended, and its assurance that all legal conditions for opening an investigation had been fulfilled.
In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates affirmed that this announcement is “a step forward towards opening the long-awaited criminal investigation into the crimes committed and committed in the territory of the occupied Palestinian state, after nearly five years of the start of the initial study in the case in Palestine.”
The ministry said, "This step is the first of its kind, taken by the Prosecutor, since she announced the start of the initial study on January 16, 2015."
She considered that this step "only reflects the Prosecutor's intention to open a criminal investigation in the case in Palestine, as soon as the Pre-Trial Chamber concludes its deliberations, and a positive decision is issued regarding its regional jurisdiction."
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry affirmed that the Palestinian people have the right to demand all fairness and justice provided by international law, including asylum to the International Criminal Court, given the urgent necessity and magnitude of the situation in Palestine, which cannot be subject to further delay.
For his part, the president of the Palestinian Committee responsible for follow-up with the International Criminal Court, Saeb Erekat, said that the decision of the Criminal Prosecutor's Office "is a positive and encouraging step, bringing Palestine closer to opening a criminal investigation into the war crimes committed in it."
In a statement, Erekat added that the move "would put an end to the escape of the perpetrators."
For its part, the Euromed Observatory for Human Rights called on all relevant parties, victims and their families to be ready to present their testimonies, testimonies, and available evidence to them, to assist the Prosecutor's Office and its team in the expected investigations.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the International Criminal Court "has no authority" to investigate war crimes in the Palestinian territories, describing it as a "black day of truth and justice" as he put it.
On the other hand, Hamas carried yesterday, Israel, the "consequences" of escalating its raids on the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu: “The Court
Criminal is not her
Authority to investigate
Palestinian territories".