The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights welcomed today, Friday, the announcement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, that the preliminary study on the situation in Palestine has been completed, and her conclusion that all the requirements for opening a formal investigation are fulfilled, and requested the Pre-Trial Chamber of the Court to decide on Regional jurisdiction of the court in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The Geneva-based Euromed Observatory said in a statement that the decision of the Criminal Court Prosecutor is a positive step in the right direction, and should be followed by an official investigation into Israeli violations against Palestinian civilians as soon as possible.
The head of the Euro-Mediterranean Observatory, Rami Abdo, stated that despite welcoming the decision of the Prosecutor of the Criminal Court, "We urge the Pre-Trial Chamber of the Criminal Court to expedite the process of consulting this request so that the Prosecutor can open an investigation into the crimes stipulated in the Rome Charter without any Additional delay. "
Abdo stressed that the Prosecutor of the Criminal Court should not be subjected to any political pressure operations aimed at deflecting the investigation, or any attempts to intimidate her and her team, and stressed the importance of proceeding with its legal steps.
To reinforce the progress of pushing for the investigation to be opened and ensuring its success, Abdo called on all relevant parties, victims and their families to prepare to present their testimonies, statements and evidence available to them to assist the Prosecutor´s Office and its team in the expected investigations. He stressed that the jurisdiction of the Legal Criminal Court over the occupied Palestinian territories is a constant according to the accession of the State of Palestine to the Rome Charter, and given that Palestine granted the court this mandate for nearly five years.
The Euromed Observatory for Human Rights added that Israel had committed violations that amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity, and that while the Israeli authorities could continue to go unpunished, the ICC has the mandate to halt this approach and to provide minimal justice for the victims.
He added that the justice of the Palestinian victims due to the long decades of Israeli occupation and its war crimes and grave violations of human rights under international laws and charters falls primarily on the criminal court.
The Euromed Observatory concluded that all measures must be taken to refer those involved - including Israeli leaders and soldiers - who have committed violations against Palestinian civilians to the competent courts, including the courts of the states parties to the Geneva Conventions, according to the principle of universal jurisdiction, and the International Criminal Court and ensure that they do not go unpunished.
