The Hague District Attorney, Pato Bensuda, said she wanted to launch a full investigation into the crimes • The plaintiff noted that due to the unique legal status of the Occupied Territories, a tribunal's decision on their status would be required before they could open an investigation • Netanyahu: "Black Day for Truth and Justice"

• Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Pato Basuda // Photo: Reuters

The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Pato Bansuda, said on Friday that she wanted to start a full investigation of war crimes in the territories of Judea and Samaria and Gaza.

"I am convinced that there is a reasonable basis to begin the investigation. I was convinced that war crimes were committed or perpetrated in the territories of Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip," Bassaida wrote.

Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court has rolled the hot potato of Judea, Samaria, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem into the hands of the Criminal Court judges, thus opening a judicial campaign that could seriously hurt the future of the International Court of Justice, which not many countries in the world undermine His powers and legitimacy.

In her statement, Attorney General Pato Bensuda states that the findings of her first investigation into the situation in "Palestine," at the request of the Palestinian Authority, indicated that all the criteria matched her opening an investigation into "war crimes" committed and committed in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. However, the plaintiff emphasizes: "In view of the unique legal and factual matters and the very controversial data in this matter, namely the area in which the investigation is to be carried out (its international status under international law, AB), it is necessary to rely on Article 19.3 (Rome Convention - the Basic Convention of International Criminal Court) to resolve this specific matter. "

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In essence, she stressed that she had urgently appealed this morning to the ICC judges to reach a decision on the ICJ's authority to deal with matters related to Palestine. "A decision on whether I can investigate in the unique circumstances of this situation must be made before I can begin an investigation." The prosecutor urges the tribunal judges to make a swift decision on the matter in favor of the person concerned.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded, saying, "It's a black day for truth and justice. Turning the ICC into a fight against Israel. Want to turn the fact that Jews live in Israel, in their homeland, into war crime. Fighting for our rights and historical truth in every way possible. "

Israel will consider sanctions against tribunal representatives

Attorney General Avihai Mandelblit issued an opinion today, saying that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no authority to intervene in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While this position was heard by senior officials in the Israeli judicial system, the publication of the opinion stems from a growing fear in Israel that the prosecutor in Pato International Court will decide to allow lawsuits against Israeli senior officials in her last year in office.

"Israel Today" has learned that in Israel, the possibility of taking sanctions against the tribunal's representatives will be considered, should a problematic opinion be issued. That's how Israel learned today. Punishment options against the plaintiff and its employees have already been presented to the political level with which the decision is made, whether to implement them. It should be noted that the US government denied court officials the possibility of entering the United States as soon as it became clear that the plaintiff intended to investigate American soldiers. At the time, the administration also considered that the Israeli tribunal's injury was similar to the US itself.

Criticize the decision, Netanyahu and Mandelblit // Photo: Oren Ben Hakun

"The principle legal position of the State of Israel, which is not a member of the tribunal, is that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction over Israel, and that any Palestinian activity in the court is legally invalid, in light of the recent plaintiff's statement regarding her intention to make a decision, in the annual report published on December 5. 2019, I found it appropriate to publish the opinion at this time, "Mandelblit explained.

The court explained in its opinion that the tribunal has the authority to discuss only sovereign states that allowed it to discuss their case - which Israel did not. Regarding the Palestinians joining the Rome Convention, thus giving the tribunal authority to discuss their case, Mendelblit explained that the Palestinian Authority is not a state. It does not have the authority to join the tribunal.