ICC allows UK to submit arguments disputing the prosecution of Israelis in Gaza case

Judges at the International Criminal Court ruled on Thursday that the UK can submit legal arguments to judges reflecting on the prosecution’s request for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

According to Court documents made public, the UK, an ICC member state, filed a request earlier in June to provide written information on whether “the court can exercise jurisdiction over Israeli nationals, in circumstances where Palestine cannot exercise criminal jurisdiction over Israeli nationals [under] the Oslo Accords”, referring to the 1993 agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).

The UK argues that Palestinian authorities cannot have jurisdiction over Israeli nationals under the accords, and therefore cannot transfer that jurisdiction over to the ICC to prosecute them.

Meanwhile, the US’s controversial $230m Gaza pier could be removed as soon as today due to difficult sea conditions, according to the AP.

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