Arab League Welcomes ICC Confirmation of Palestinian Jurisdiction

Cairo, MINA – The League of Arab States welcomes the report of International Criminal Court (ICC), regarding the geographical jurisdiction of the Palestinian territories which is declared to include the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Sunday, Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League, Saeed Abu Ali praised “important and courageous statements” from the Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda about the jurisdiction of regional courts in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. Thus quoted from Quds Press on Monday, May 4.

“The prosecutor, Bensouda and through his report confirms that the ICC’s geographical jurisdiction over the occupied Palestinian territories, which includes the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.”

Ambassador Abu Ali emphasized that the statement of the prosecutor expressed the ICC’s jurisdiction and responsibility as an important gesture, especially in this most urgent situation, given the war crimes and humanity faced by Palestine.

He pointed out among the crimes was a quick attempt by the Israeli occupation authority to annex occupied occupied Palestinian territories, by taking advantage of worldwide concerns in dealing with the Coronavirus epidemic.

Abu Ali also called on the international community as a whole to follow up on the important results of this report and focus on the principle of accountability and identify those responsible for violations and crimes committed against the Palestinian people.

He demanded the ICC work to resolve the case with the speed and effectiveness needed to achieve the desired objectives of the international justice system and international legitimacy decisions.

“This is to provide international protection to the Palestinian people to end Israeli occupation and to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital on the fourth border in June 1967,” he said. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)