Palestinians become observers at ICC meeting

Move regarded as step before joining war crimes tribunal; ambassador hails ‘enhancement’ of Palestinians’ status

By AP 9 December 2014, 2:24 am

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A courtroom at the International Criminal Court, The Hague (photo credit: CC BY Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, Flickr)

UNITED NATIONS — The Palestinians have become observers at the summit meeting of the 122 countries that are members of the International Criminal Court, a move they say is a step toward joining the world’s permanent war crimes tribunal.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to seek membership in the ICC in order to press charges against Israel for alleged war crimes.

The Palestinian UN ambassador, Riyad Mansour, said Monday his government is moving in that direction “but that’s another step in that process.”

The Palestinians’ official recognition as an observer came in a procedural move at the opening session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute that established the ICC.

Mansour called the assembly’s decision “a further enhancement of our status” in the court and in the international arena.