International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over Israel, are arrests for war crimes being prepared

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced today that it has jurisdiction over territories under Israeli occupation, which appears to have opened the way for the chief prosecutor to begin an investigation into possible war crimes by the Israeli army.

Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in 2019 that there was a "reasonable basis" to open an investigation into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip and the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

She, however, asked the court to verify whether it has territorial jurisdiction before proceeding to investigate the case.

This was requested by the Palestinians, who joined the court in 2015, and they particularly insisted on an investigation into Israeli actions during the 2014 war in the Gaza Strip and the construction of homes for Jews not only in the West Bank but also in annexed East Jerusalem.

Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, argued that the court has no jurisdiction.

Most of the international community considers Jewish settlements illegal under international law.

The court can also investigate crimes committed by Palestinian extremists, including rocket fire by Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, and other extremist organizations targeting Israeli civilian areas.

The ICC could begin issuing arrest warrants that would make it more difficult for Israeli officials to travel abroad.

Palestinian official Nabil Shaath, an aide to President Mahmoud Abbas, praised the court's decision, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the court had once again proven to be a political body, Israeli media reported.

Last year, the Trump administration imposed sanctions against court officials, including revoking the prosecutor's visa, in response to attempts to prosecute American soldiers for actions in Afghanistan.

The US, like Israel, does not recognize the court's jurisdiction.