International Criminal Court

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has accepted the request by Palestine to join the International Criminal Court, a move that would open the way for war crimes complaints against Israel.

The decision grants the Hague-based ICC jurisdiction to open cases starting April 1 on serious crimes committed in the Palestinian territories, despite fierce opposition from Israel and the United States.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will visit the Turkish capital of Ankara on Jan. 12 to discuss the repercussions of the U.N. Security Council's failure to adopt a draft resolution setting a deadline for the ending of Israeli occupation, a Palestinian diplomat has said.

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon announced that Palestine will join the International Criminal Court (ICC) on April 1.

This will provide Palestine with the opportunity to file war-crimes suits against Israel, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The International Criminal Court on Jan. 5 said Palestinian authorities had formally recognised the court's jurisdiction to investigate crimes allegedly committed during last summer's Gaza war.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced that he was planning to resubmit the UN Security Council resolution on ending the occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel.

Abbas stated that Palestine is to submit the resolution until the Security Council recognises it as a state under occupation, Sky News Arabia quoted him as saying on Sunday.

The first case the Palestinians will refer to the International Criminal Court will be the "crimes" Israel committed during summer 2014, including the Gaza war, a legal expert said Jan. 4.

Israel will not permit its soldiers to be hauled in front of the International Criminal Court on potential war crimes charges, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Jan. 4.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un proposed the "highest-level" talks with South Korea Jan. 1, opening the way to a historic summit as his communist country battles to fend off international prosecution over its dismal human rights record.
      

The Palestinians were facing a fresh diplomatic battle Jan. 1 after taking steps to join the International Criminal Court in a move which was strongly condemned by both Washington and Israel.     
  

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas is to apply immediately to join the International Criminal Court, senior officials said Dec. 31, after the U.N. Security Council rejected a resolution on ending the Israeli occupation.