Det sidste sker for at kunne retsforfølge Israel med tilbagevirkende kraft for krigsforbrydelser i palæstinensernes øjne – ikke mindst i Gaza, hvor næsten 2.200 palæstinensere omkom under israelske militæraktioner i 2014.
NEW YORK, 2 January 2015 (UN News Service): Palestinian Authority officials Friday presented to the United Nations documents for accession (tiltrædelse) to 16 international conventions and treaties, including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC = Den internationale Straffedomstol), the world body has confirmed.
The documents – for accession to conventions and treaties for which the UN Secretary-General performs depositary functions – are being reviewed with a view to determining the appropriate next steps, according to a note issued by a UN spokesperson.
The original versions of the documents were delivered Thursday to the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, James Rawley, in Ramallah.
“This is a very significant step […] to seek justice through a legal option,” Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN, said in New York after he transmitted copies of the documents to the UN Secretariat.
“It is a peaceful option. It is a civilized option. It is an option that anyone who upholds the law should not be afraid of. It is an option we are seeking in order to seek justice for all the victims that have been killed by Israel, the occupying Power…”
The Palestinian Government has confirmed that it will seek legal action against Israel at the ICC, which is based in The Hague, for alleged crimes committed by Israel in Gaza last summer.
Nearly 2,200 Palestinians and 70 Israelis died during the 50-day conflict that ended in August.
Mr. Mansour said the request was made to the ICC on Thursday. “We delivered last night a letter to the Office of the Registrar in The Hague requesting retroactivity (tilbagevirkende kraft) with regard to the crimes committed during the last war in Gaza and reserving our right for other retroactive crimes committed by Israel.”
