Palestine asks ICC to investigate Israel’s ‘war crimes’

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki on Tuesday requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Israel’s settlement building and war crimes.

Al-Malki has submitted a so-called “referral” to the Office of the ICC Prosecutor in The Hague to start an investigation into “Israel’s settlements and war crimes in the Palestinian territories”, according to a statement by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.

There was no comment from Israel on the Palestinian move.

Since March 30, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured by Israeli gunfire during anti-occupation rallies along border of the Gaza Strip.

In late December, 2014, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed the Rome convention and appendixes related to the ICC, which accepted the Palestinian request to become one of its members in April 2015.

Since 2015, the ICC has been conducting a preliminary investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in the Palestinian territories, including its settlement activity and crimes committed during Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip in 2014.