Possible war crimes in 2014, during Israeli-Palestinian 50-days war, will be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Israel stated. There were too many incidents in the conflict sector, all of them require careful consideration and impartial decisions, the ICC prosecutor said. International Court of Justice in The Hague will work with Israel for arbitration and investigation of crimes in the Palestinian territories. Thus, the arbitration examination and rejection of the policy of non-cooperation with the ICC are the new realities. A source in the Israeli government has confirmed contact with representatives of the ICC, but the details of the negotiations are not reported.
“Israel has agreed to engage with my office and we are exchanging information,” noted the ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda during her visit to the UN headquarters in Geneva on 2 June. Prosecutor said the ICC is very active, and contacts with both parties to the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
According to the recent statement of Israel, possible war crimes will be considered in the International Criminal Court, so it could lead to the opening of a criminal investigation and charges of war crimes. Moreover, the guilty persons will be found on both sides of the conflict. Military operations were conducted during the 50 days between Israel and the Islamist Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Ministry of Health, in 2014 killed more than 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians. Israel has presented data on the killed 67 soldiers and six civilians during Israeli-Palestinian 50-days war in 2014.
It is noteworthy, but so far Israel has pointedly refused to cooperate with the ICC on research related to its 50-day war in 2014. According to Israel, Palestine is not a sovereign state and therefore its authorities have no right to a formal relationship with the first permanent international war crimes court.
