‘Israel’ rejects ICC probe, saying it lacks jurisdiction

Occupied Palestine (QNN)- ‘Israel’ said on Thursday it would formally reject the International Criminal Court’s decision to launch a probe into war crimes against the Palestinians, denying that it has committed such crimes and saying the court lacks the jurisdiction to investigate.

‘Israel’ claimed the court is biased against it and has no right to investigate, citing its own judicial processes and the fact that the Palestinians have neither a state nor defined borders.

“In addition to totally rejecting the claim that Israel commits war crimes, Israel reiterates its unequivocal position that the Hague Tribunal has no authority to open an investigation against it,” the Israeli occupation government said in a statement, detailing a letter it plans to send to the ICC.

“Israel is committed to the rule of law and will continue to investigate any charges against it regardless of the source, and it expects the tribunal to refrain from violating its authority and sovereignty,” the statement said.

The letter is in response to an official notice sent to all parties by the ICC last month.

The brief one-and-a-half page letter briefly laid out the three main areas it intends to cover: the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, Israeli settlement policy, and the 2018 Great March of Return protests that left hundreds of Palestinians dead.

‘Israel’ could have argued that it was capable of investigating and prosecuting violations on its own, potentially deferring or even cancelling the ICC’s investigation.

According to Israeli Ynet news site, officials deliberated whether to tell the court that Israel would investigate the claims against it, but decided that doing so would be a recognition of the ICC’s authority.

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Fatou Bensouda said recently that she launched a formal probe into war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.

“The investigation will cover crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court that are alleged to have been committed in the Situation since 13 June 2014, the date to which reference is made in the Referral of the Situation to my Office,” she added.

‘Israel’ is not a member of the court and rejects its jurisdiction, a position backed by its close ally the United States.

Palestinians have welcomed the ruling as a chance for justice for victims of Israeli attacks.

Palestine has asked the court to look into Israeli war crimes during its 2014 war against the Gaza Strip, when the Israelis killed 2147 Palestinians including women and children, and wounded 10870 others, as well as Israel’s construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem. Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.