Israel Seeks Help of Germany to Prevent International Criminal Court from Investigating Possible Israeli War Crimes Against Palestinians


Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says his government is having success lobbying friendly countries to stop the International Criminal Court from investigating alleged war crimes against Palestinians. The chief prosecutor for the ICC says there is enough evidence to investigate reports of killing more than 200 Palestinians and inflicting thousands of injuries. Neither Israel nor the US, is a member of the ICC, but both dispute the court’s jurisdiction in the absence of a sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza, or East Jerusalem. -GEG

Israel’s prime minister on Sunday hailed what he called efforts by friendly states to stop the International Criminal Court opening an investigation into alleged war crimes against Palestinians.

The court’s chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in January there was enough evidence for an investigation into reports of more than 200 killings and thousands of injuries. She has asked the court to rule on whether it had the jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories.

Brazil, Hungary, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic and Australia have asked the court over the past two weeks to let them file “amicus brief” opinions on the case, ICC records show.

Some, including Germany, said they would argue the court’s jurisdiction did not extend to the Palestinian territories.

Brazil said it would argue that the Israeli-Palestinian crisis should be resolved through political dialogue, not a court ruling.

Netanyahu told his cabinet countries had responded to Israeli lobbying over the case.

“We are struggling against this (proceeding) and, at our side, I must say, are many friends around the world (which) joined the U.S. in a steadfast stand alongside Israel.”

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