NGO seeks to prosecute three PA heads, pushes for their arrests, following Abbas’s move to join International Criminal Court
The Times of Israel
Israeli legal group Shurat HaDin, the Israel Law Center, filed lawsuits on Monday at the International Criminal Court (ICC) against three Palestinian Authority leaders for alleged war crimes, terrorism and human rights offenses, following PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s move last week to join the court and seek to prosecute Israel.
Indictments were brought against PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, Abbas’s deputy; minister Jibril Rajoub; and PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj, all of whom belong to Abbas’s Fatah party.
The NGO is also pursuing existing litigation filed against Abbas last November, as well as a case against Gaza-based terror group Hamas and its leader Khaled Mashaal, filed at the ICC on September 2014.
According to Shurat HaDin, during the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict “Fatah openly boasted in Facebook pages and other media channels that it launched projectiles that caused the injury and death of Israeli civilians — a war crime under international law.”
The NGO pressed The Hague to issue international arrest warrants for the three pending litigation.
Shurat HaDin’s chairwoman and founder, attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, said that the organization will make it as difficult as possible for Palestinian leaders at the ICC, and that they must be held accountable for crimes committed under their supervision.
“Abbas and his friends in terror organizations believe that the courts can be used as a weapon against Israel, while at the same time, the Palestinian leadership carries out crimes with utter impunity against their own people and against Israeli civilians,” Darshan-Leitner said.
The case brought against Faraj and Hamdallah details widespread torture and killings of Palestinian residents who reside in areas under PA control, according to a statement released by the group.
“Faraj and Hamdallah, as commanders in the Palestinian security services, are directly responsible for widespread human rights violations committed [in the West Bank] against regular Palestinians by units under their authority,” the statement read.
According to the indictment, Rajoub, too, was fully aware of the violations it listed and should be held “accountable for the actions committed under his auspices by his subordinates in the organization,” the statement read.
The ICC can prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed since July 1, 2002, when the court’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, came into force.
“The PA and Hamas have to understand that the International Criminal Court is a double-edged sword,” Darshan-Leitner said. “Years of murder, acts of terrorism and incitement will now be brought before prosecutors for investigation.”
On Saturday Israel froze NIS 500 million ($127 million) in Palestinian tax revenues collected on Ramallah’s behalf, in response to the ICC membership request.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Palestinians leaders were the ones who should be prosecuted in the ICC over their unification with rival faction Hamas.
“It is the Palestinian Authority leaders – who have allied with the war criminals of Hamas – who must be called to account,” he said. “IDF soldiers will continue to protect the State of Israel with determination and strength, and just as they are protecting us we will protect them, with the same determination and strength.”
On Thursday, Abbas asked the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel for war crimes allegedly committed during the 50-day war with Hamas and other Gaza terror groups last summer.
Israel lost 66 soldiers and seven civilians in the month-long conflict, while the Palestinian death toll surpassed 2,100, according to Hamas officials in Gaza. Israel said half of the Gaza dead were gunmen and blamed Hamas for civilian deaths because it operated from residential areas, placing Gazans in harm’s way.
This is part of the Zionist’s push to switch the spotlight off of them ! They are people who promote disinformation and deceive where ever possible. Anyone who has been “paying attention” knows the sheer audacity and guile of this fraction of the “human race”. Jews today are in no way related to the Israelites/Hebrews of the OT! This group of LIARS and misfits would be spurned by the prophets of Biblical times. When I see the “crap” the Rothschild Zionists are pushing, I know they are beginning to feel the “backlash” to their message! FEAR and GREED are the mainstay of these vile persons who try to steal the birth right, as Jacob did, due in fact to Esau’s lack of vigilance! The Zionist today is trying to do exactly the same deed as the conniving brother of yester year. Jacob was a liar/deceiver in this story. I find the Zionist Jew today with the same monogram. Cannot be trusted when profit or power are involved. Sorry Jews ! I just can’t handle deceit in any form. Real men stand straight and tall, willing to bend but not break under any duress! Zionists, especially the Rothschild dynastic groups make wealth but lack honesty /integrity. And politicians reach out for this pottage, as Esau did. Enough said !
Now that’s the very definition of chutzpah – suing the people you murdered like fish in a barrel – 500 of whom were children. Wow – stunning – absolutely stunning!
Israel & Washington have continued to veto votes for Palestine statehood. So, Abbas took the only best action–and UN and center application. Washington/Congress–Graham, Kirk, Menendez & Schumer–are complicit in Israeli govt’s Gaza Genocide/murder/extermination of over 1.2K including over 500 children.
Reblogged this on ElderofZyklon's Blog!.
This is part of the Zionist’s push to switch the spotlight off of them ! They are people who promote disinformation and deceive where ever possible. Anyone who has been “paying attention” knows the sheer audacity and guile of this fraction of the “human race”. Jews today are in no way related to the Israelites/Hebrews of the OT! This group of LIARS and misfits would be spurned by the prophets of Biblical times. When I see the “crap” the Rothschild Zionists are pushing, I know they are beginning to feel the “backlash” to their message! FEAR and GREED are the mainstay of these vile persons who try to steal the birth right, as Jacob did, due in fact to Esau’s lack of vigilance! The Zionist today is trying to do exactly the same deed as the conniving brother of yester year. Jacob was a liar/deceiver in this story. I find the Zionist Jew today with the same monogram. Cannot be trusted when profit or power are involved. Sorry Jews ! I just can’t handle deceit in any form. Real men stand straight and tall, willing to bend but not break under any duress! Zionists, especially the Rothschild dynastic groups make wealth but lack honesty /integrity. And politicians reach out for this pottage, as Esau did. Enough said !
Now that’s the very definition of chutzpah – suing the people you murdered like fish in a barrel – 500 of whom were children. Wow – stunning – absolutely stunning!
Israel & Washington have continued to veto votes for Palestine statehood. So, Abbas took the only best action–and UN and center application. Washington/Congress–Graham, Kirk, Menendez & Schumer–are complicit in Israeli govt’s Gaza Genocide/murder/extermination of over 1.2K including over 500 children.