Abbas Files Request to Join ICC
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday signed a Palestinian request to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), seeking a new avenue for action against Israel after a failed UN resolution calling for Israel to withdraw to 1949 Armistice lines, AFP reports.
Abbas signed the request along with applications to join 20 other international conventions during a meeting broadcast live on PA television.
The PA has hoped that ICC membership will pave the way for “war crimes” prosecutions against Israeli officials for their presence in Jewish areas of Judea and Samaria.
Read more at Arutz 7.
Statehood Bid Fails
The UN Security Council on Tuesday rejected a resolution on Palestinian statehood, with the Palestinians failing to get the minimum nine “yes” votes required for adoption by the 15-member council: Eight voted for the resolution and two voted against, with five abstentions.
France, China and Russia were among the countries that supported the text setting a 12-month deadline for negotiations on a final peace deal with Israel and an imposed full Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and East Jerusalem by the end of 2017. Argentina, Chad, Chile, Jordan and Luxembourg also voted for the resolution.
Australia and the United States voted against.
Read the full story at Times of Israel.
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.