Over 180 rights bodies urge ICC prosecutor to investigate Israel’s crimes in Palestine

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda

Middle East Monitor  /  April 30, 2020

More than 180 Palestinian, regional and international human rights coalitions, organisations, and individuals yesterday urged International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, to investigate Israeli crimes against Palestinians.

In a joint open letter initiated by Palestinian coalitions representing over 200 Palestinian civil society organisations, rights groups said they overwhelmingly support the Prosecutor’s findings submitted to the Pre-Trial Chamber.

“We urge that in light of the pervasive climate of impunity, which has prevailed for over five decades in the occupied Palestinian territory, that perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Palestine must be held accountable at the International Criminal Court,” they letter read.

Bensouda is expected to file her final determination to the ICC on whether Palestine can be regarded as a state today.

In December 2019 she ruled in favour of acknowledging statehood, adding that there is sufficient evidence to open a criminal investigation against Israel on war crimes charges. If the ICC recognises Palestine as a state, it could bring war crimes charges against Israel.