Palestine to sue Trump, Netanyahu at ICC

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH

The Palestinian Authority plans to file a complaint against U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to a Palestinian official.

Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki will fly to The Hague soon to sue the U.S. administration over Trump’s recent decision to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Saleh Rafat, an executive committee member of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), told the official Voice of Palestine radio.

Trump’s decision has “violated all international laws and resolutions”, Rafat said, without giving further details about the complaint.

Al-Maliki will file another ICC complaint against Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman for “their involvement in crimes against the Palestinian people”, Rafat said.

On Dec. 6, Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, triggering world outcry and protests across the Palestinian territories.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the perennial Middle East conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might eventually serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

In late 2014, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed the Rome Statute, the ICC’s governing treaty.

In April 2015, Palestine has become an official member of the The Hague-based court.