GENEVA (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a country office in Palestine to complete its work on the situation file in Palestine regarding crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory, including crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since last October.
The ICC should take such action to facilitate and finish its investigations on the ground, ascertain the circumstances surrounding the commission of these crimes and their consequences, review the facts of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory in its entirety, gain access to and operate in all areas where these crimes are committed, including the Gaza Strip, and be able to view and exchange all evidence quickly and effectively in a way that ensures its safety and security, the rights group said.
“Meeting with the victims and their families face-to-face, calling witnesses when necessary, and supporting forms of coordination and cooperation with the national authorities and capable local institutions are all crucial steps toward establishing some measure of justice in Palestine. These actions also help to bring the criminals to justice, hold them accountable, and provide the victims with justice and compensation.”
The ICC maintains country offices in numerous countries where investigations are underway. Notably, the Court has the largest office outside The Hague in Kyiv, Ukraine, as well as offices in Uganda, Kenya, Mali, Georgia, Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Generally, the ICC has dealt with the situation in Palestine from the beginning with repeated and unjustified delays and procrastination, Euro-Med said.
“As a first step toward achieving international justice for the Palestinian people, as well as partial compensation for the historical injustice from which it is still suffering and justice for its surviving victims, the ICC must begin investigating the situation in Palestine. The Court needs to take the long-awaited legal measures and issue arrest warrants for the Israeli officials involved in committing crimes against the Palestinians, prosecuting them and holding them accountable.”
“This will end the impunity that Israel has long enjoyed, subjecting it to the same system of international law as other countries and establishing a state of pressure and deterrent influence on it to prevent the commission of further crimes against the Palestinians as swiftly as possible.”
The Euro-Med further called on ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, to make legal decisions as soon as possible and follow the Court’s procedural rules and rules of evidence by the Rome Statute.
This will help to ensure that those responsible for grave crimes that threaten international peace and security are held accountable, both criminally and civilly, for the benefit of the victims and the larger peace and justice of the world. Additionally, the statement concluded that the Court will be able to fulfil its primary responsibility of reviving criminal justice, irrespective of the identity of the suspect and victim.
