Minister of Justice Muhammad Shalaldeh said today, Tuesday, that the Authority is awaiting the decision of the International Criminal Court regarding the opening of an investigation into Israeli "crimes" in the Palestinian territories, calling for speeding up the decision of the investigation.
Al-Shallaldeh told reporters in Ramallah that if the international criminal investigation opens the expected investigation, it will represent a "very important step" to achieve justice.
Al-Shallaldeh stressed that "the criminal court´s commencement of looking at the files before it, such as the war on the Gaza Strip in 2014, settlements and prisoners, are very important issues and gives seriousness to the lack of impunity, especially war criminals."
Al-Shalaldah called on the criminal court to start the investigation as soon as possible after the court has completed all procedures regarding that, saying that "the environment is appropriate and appropriate to initiate the investigation with the files presented."
He said that the documents, evidence and evidence "for Israel to commit more than one crime against the Palestinian people according to the statute of the court and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949".
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth published today a report expressing its concern that the court might issue a decision this week authorizing the court´s prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, to investigate "war crimes" committed by Israel against the Palestinians.
The newspaper quoted Israeli political and military officials concerned about this issue, noting that the prevailing belief in Israel is that it will receive an advance warning one or two days before the court´s decision.
According to the newspaper, estimates in Israel indicate that the court will postpone its decision until after the US presidential elections next November.
On December 20, 2019, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court decided to open an investigation against Israel for its commission of "possible war crimes" in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem.
Since that time, Israel has boycotted the proceedings of the International Court against it, and has refrained from providing its response regarding the investigation of its "war crimes".
Bensouda called on the court to determine the regional borders within which the investigation will be conducted, pointing out that the investigation includes the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
According to the newspaper, Israel believes that if the court adopts the position of Bensouda, then it will have decided the borders of the future Palestinian state, which is very worrying.
The newspaper pointed out that such an order could prompt the court to issue secret detention orders against the Israelis, and Israel will not necessarily be aware of them.
The newspaper added that in the event of something like this, it is imperative for Israel to make special preparations and more cautious about the travel of officials and senior officers in Israel out of the country in anticipation of their arrest.
The newspaper pointed out that Israel is developing several tools to confront the criminal court investigation, including a defense umbrella for Israeli officials.
In addition, Israel will work to delegitimize the court and ask the United States to exercise other sanctions against the court.
On June 11, US President Donald Trump decided to impose economic sanctions on high-ranking international tribunals involved in trying to investigate and prosecute US soldiers who committed war crimes in Afghanistan, or allies of the United States, including Israel.
