The League of Arab States welcomed the decision of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, of her intention to open an investigation into the crimes of the Israeli occupation in the occupied Palestinian state, while the United States of America firmly opposed any move by the court against Israel.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the occupied Arab territories at the University, Said Abu Ali, said in a statement to the Palestinian News Agency, "WAFA," yesterday, that this decision is an important qualitative step that reflects the will of the international community, which has long condemned these crimes and demanded to stop and investigate them, and hold the occupation authorities accountable for them, and present Perpetrators of international justice, including providing the necessary protection for the Palestinian people by ending the Israeli occupation, which is what it called for by the Arab League's insistence in the decisions of its councils.

He explained that this decision is the most urgent in light of the war crimes that Palestine is exposed to, including the unprecedented settlement.

He pointed out that this requires everyone, especially the "criminal", to complete this step, and follow up the implementation of the important decision with the positive, fast and effective necessary to achieve the desired goals of the justice system, and to equitably protect and protect the Palestinian people.

He stressed that its implementation comes in the right direction and time, in order to restore the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, calling for international justice bodies to assume their responsibilities to enforce the rules of justice and equity derived from international law and international legitimacy.

In Washington, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the United States "resolutely opposes" any move by the International Criminal Court against Israel after the court's chief prosecutor announced that it wanted to open a full investigation into possible "war crimes" in the Palestinian territories.

In a statement, the US Secretary of State said that Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda "asked the ICC judges to confirm that the jurisdiction of the court includes the West Bank, East Jerusalem and (the Gaza Strip)."

"We firmly oppose this, and any other move that seeks to target Israel in an unfair manner," Pompeo added.

"By taking this measure, the prosecutor clearly recognizes that there are serious legal cases regarding the court's authority to conduct an investigation," the US secretary added.

"We do not believe that the Palestinians are eligible as a sovereign state, and for this they are not eligible for full membership or participation as a state in international organizations, entities or conferences, including the International Criminal Court," he added.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, which Israel and the United States refused to join, announced the day before yesterday that she wanted to open a comprehensive investigation into possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories, expressing her satisfaction "that there is a reasonable basis for continuing to investigate the situation in Palestine."

She added that she would ask the court, which is based in The Hague, before opening the investigation to decide what lands are within its jurisdiction, because of the "unique legal status and facts related to this case, and the severe differences over it."

In January 2015, Bensouda launched a preliminary investigation into charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Israel and the Palestinian territories, in the wake of the 2014 Gaza war.

A thorough investigation can lead to charges being brought against individuals, as it cannot be directed at states. In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the announcement, saying it was a "step forward towards opening the long-awaited criminal investigation ... nearly five years after the start of the initial study."

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the decision as "a dark day for truth and justice." He said, "The decision of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court turns the International Criminal Court into a political tool for delegitimizing the State of Israel."

On the other hand, a Hamas official said yesterday that the Gaza Strip is "like a time bomb" against the backdrop of the 12-year blockade of Israel.

"The humanitarian and economic conditions in the Gaza Strip are exacerbated by the blockade and the occupation measures," the movement's leader, Ismail Radwan, told reporters on the sidelines of a local conference in Gaza.

Radwan said: "The international community is required to act in order to completely lift the siege on the Gaza Strip," adding that the movement "will not provide any political price in exchange for the measures to lift the siege."

Gaza is "like a time bomb" against the background of the 12-year blockade of Israel.