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The International Criminal Court's (ICC) chief prosecutor said Friday she wanted to open a full investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian territories, sparking a furious reaction from Israel and condemnation from the United States.
The ICC's preliminary investigation has looked at the 2014 war which left 2,251 dead on the Palestinian side, the majority civilians, and 74 on the Israeli side, most of them soldiers. It has also looked at violence near the Israel-Gaza border in 2018.
ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation into the situation in Palestine, and she would ask the ICC to rule on the territory over which it has jurisdiction before opening a full probe.
"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."
The Palestinians welcomed the move as a "long overdue step" following a nearly five-year preliminary probe by the prosecutor into the situation since the 2014 war in Gaza.
Palestinians gather near the remains of a building in Gaza City. /Reuters Photo
"This is a historic day, and now any Palestinian who gets injured by the occupier (Israel) can file a case to the criminal court," said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at a session attended by members of the revolutionary council of his Fatah party in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
"After four years of hard work and providing everything necessary about the occupation crimes committed against our people in the occupied territories, the decision was issued because the court was following and studying the findings, laws, and issues," he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the decision made the Hague-based court serve as a "political tool" against the Jewish state.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also expressed strong opposition, arguing that Palestine is not qualified to participate as a state in international organizations like the ICC.
The issue is highly sensitive, with former White House national security adviser John Bolton threatening last year to arrest ICC judges if they moved against Israel or the United States.
Both countries have refused to sign up to the court, which was set up in 2002 to be the only global tribunal trying the world's worst crimes, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
A full ICC investigation could possibly lead to charges against individuals. States cannot be charged by the ICC.
(CGTN)
