Palestine threatening to bring war crimes charges against Israel

Galvanized by their recent obtainment of nonmember observer state status within the United Nations, Palestine is now indicating that it intends to join the International Criminal Court and pursue charges against Israel for war crimes. Although Palestinian officials themselves acknowledge that any kind of final decision on this matter is a long way off, just the threat has been enough to rattle Israel. Officials are concerned such prosecutions would make it difficult for Israeli officials to travel overseas or portray the country as a pariah state. The threat comes in the wake of Israel authorizing the construction of thousands of new buildings in occupied territories of the West Bank. “By continuing these war crimes of settlement activities on our lands and stealing our money,” said senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath, “Israel is pushing and forcing us to go to the ICC.” Recognition of Palestine as a state by the UN seems to invalidate Israel’s claim the West Bank and east Jerusalem are “disputed” territories.