Share

Abbas seeks support for war crimes charges

Gaza City - Nearly a month into Israel's fierce assault on Hamas in Gaza, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is facing mounting domestic pressure to seek war crimes charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court.

He has hesitated in the past because such a move would instantly put the Palestinians on a risky collision course with Israel.

But with about 1 400 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to health officials, Abbas has signalled he might move ahead - cautiously.

Palestinian officials said on Thursday that Abbas asked all Palestinian political factions, including Hamas and the smaller group Islamic Jihad, to give their written consent to such a move. Different PLO factions signed up in a meeting in the West Bank earlier this week, while Abbas is still waiting for a response from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, they said.

In trying to make a case against Israel, Abbas could also expose Hamas, a bitter rival turned potential political partner, to war crimes prosecution because it has fired thousands of rockets from Gaza at Israeli communities over the years.

"This option is a double-edged sword," Abbas' Fatah movement wrote on its official Facebook page on Thursday, saying he would only move ahead once he has the approval of Hamas.

'Violating international humanitarian law'

In Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Thursday accused both Israel and Hamas militants of violating the rules of war.

She said Hamas is violating international humanitarian law by "locating rockets within schools and hospitals, or even launching these rockets from densely populated areas." But she added that this does not absolve Israel from disregarding the same law.

Pillay said the Israeli government has defied international law in Gaza by attacking civilian areas such as schools, hospitals, homes and UN facilities.

"None of this appears to me to be accidental," Pillay said of Israel. "They appear to be defying - deliberate defiance of - obligations that international law imposes on Israel."

Pillay also took aim at the US, Israel's main ally, for providing financial support for Israel's "Iron Dome" anti-rocket defence system. "No such protection has been provided to Gazans against the shelling," she said.

Israel claims 'self-defence'

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yigal Palmor declined comment on Pillay's allegations and on the Palestinian deliberations concerning the ICC.

Israeli officials have said Israel is acting in self-defence by targeting Hamas' military arsenal and rocket-launching sites. They have accused Hamas of using Gaza civilians as human shields.

Hamas has portrayed its rocket fire on Israel as legitimate resistance to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

The current round of fighting marks the third Israel-Hamas war in just over five years. In each round, mutual war crimes allegations have been raised, but neither side pursued them further.

After the first war in 2009, Abbas - in an apparent effort not to antagonise the US - helped freeze a UN report that called on Israel and Hamas to prosecute any war crimes or face scrutiny by the ICC.

Now, Abbas has more tools at his disposal.

'Doomsday weapon'

In November 2012, the UN General Assembly recognised Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem - lands Israel captured in 1967 - as a non-member observer state.

This state remains largely theoretical since Israel retains control of the West Bank and east Jerusalem and of Gaza's border points. However, the UN vote improved Palestinian chances to seek admission to the International Criminal Court since the tribunal only has jurisdiction over crimes committed in the territory of a state.

The statehood recognition paved the way for the Palestinians to seek membership in dozens of UN agencies and international conventions.

Abbas signed a first batch after nine months of US-brokered negotiations with Israel ran aground in April, and Palestinian officials said more membership requests would follow, despite opposition by Israel and the US.

Gaining membership to the ICC has been considered the Palestinian "doomsday weapon" because it would likely invite major Israeli retaliation.

Pressure to act

But widespread anger in the West Bank over the rising casualties in Gaza has increased pressure on Abbas to act.

"People feel that this tool should be used to stop the Israeli crimes," said former Palestinian government spokesperson Ghassan Khatib.

"When people in the West Bank see these scenes that are occurring now in Gaza, they feel that they should support their brothers in Gaza, and the first thing that comes to their mind is the issue of the ICC because they think that it is possible and thus they are pushing more and more for it now," he said.

Independent legislator Mustafa Barghouti said on Thursday that leaders of political factions in the West Bank have repeatedly urged Abbas to act.

"We have been pressing him for a long time," he said.

At a meeting on Tuesday with political leaders and faction chiefs, Abbas asked participants to sign a declaration of support for such a move, said Barghouti, adding that everyone signed.

The final decision would still be up to Abbas, according to other participants who spoke on condition of anonymity because there were not authorised to talk to reporters about internal deliberation.

They said Abbas also told them he would not move forward without written consent from Hamas and Islamic Jihad because they could expose themselves to possible war crimes charges.

One of the participants expressed concern that this was a stalling tactic by Abbas, arguing that it was unlikely for Hamas to support such a move.

Hamas officials in Gaza were not available for comment.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
41% - 456 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
59% - 653 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.0%
Rand - Pound
23.91
-0.0%
Rand - Euro
20.41
+0.1%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.33
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.0%
Platinum
908.05
+1.2%
Palladium
1,014.94
+1.3%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE