The International Criminal Court building is seen in The Hague, Netherlands, January 16, 2019. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
Ramallah; 20 Dec 2019-The State of Palestine has welcomed the announcement by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court that the preliminary study phase of the situation in Palestine has ended, as well as the Prosecutor’s assertion that all the legal conditions for opening an investigation have been fulfilled.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in a statement issued today has confirmed to the State of Palestine that it had taken note of the decision of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, to request the Pre-Trial Chamber of the Court to issue a decision, under Article 19 (3) of the Rome Charter, to decide on its regional competence in Palestine.
It also welcomes this announcement as a step forward towards opening the long-awaited criminal investigation of the crimes committed and committed in the occupied Palestinian territory, nearly five years after the start of the initial study on the situation in Palestine. In this context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants notes that this step is the first of its kind taken by the Prosecutor since her announcement of the start of the initial study on January 16, 2015.
The Foreign Ministry considers that this step reflects the intention of the Prosecutor to open a criminal investigation in the situation in Palestine immediately after the preliminary circle concludes its deliberations and the issuance of a positive decision regarding its regional jurisdiction.
In this context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine considers that the Palestinian people have the right to claim all remedies and justice provided by international law, including asylum in the International Criminal Court, given the urgent necessity and magnitude of the situation in Palestine that cannot be subject to further delay.
The State of Palestine also notes that the Prosecutor has previously confirmed that she possesses jurisdiction over the entire occupied Palestinian territory, and that there is a reasonable basis for committing crimes on the territory of the State of Palestine that fall within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
In this context, the State of Palestine considers this request from the Pre-Trial Chamber as a confirmation of the position of the Prosecutor regarding the availability of its jurisdiction to consider the ongoing crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces and the colonists.
In this context, the State of Palestine confirms that it will participate in the judicial procedures that will begin before the International Criminal Court to confirm that the issue of territorial jurisdiction is already a matter that is clearly settled under international law, in addition to its firm position that the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court possesses the required jurisdiction over The land of the State of Palestine, given that it is a state party to the Rome Charter and based on Palestine’s decision to grant the Prosecutor the necessary jurisdiction to consider systematic and widespread crimes committed on its territory.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine calls for the necessity of issuing an urgent judgment from the First Pre-Trial Chamber, in line with the time frame specified in the Manual of International Criminal Court Practices, which it considers will allow the Prosecutor to proceed with the opening of the criminal investigation without any additional delay.
In conclusion, the State of Palestine reaffirms that it continues to adhere to its legal obligations as a member state of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court and that it will continue its established record of cooperation with the Court, until justice is achieved for the victims of the Palestinian people and the accountability and accountability of war criminals. is over
