Palestine to go before International Criminal Court to stop Jewish settlements
New York (AsiaNews/ Agencies) - Palestine has threatened to sue Israel before the International Criminal Court (ICC) if it continues to build Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem.
Speaking at the UN Security Council, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said the decision depended on the new Israeli government.
"If Israel would like to go further by implementing the E1 plan and the other related plans around Jerusalem, then yes, we would be going to the International Criminal Court," he told the UN Security Council. "Israel knows very well our position."
With his address, which he made whilst seated behind a name plate that read 'State of Palestine', Mr Malki upset Israel's allies, especially the United States.
US ambassador Susan Rice dismissed Malki's speech, noting that UN references to the State of Palestine, such as the title on the Security Council name plate, was not "bestowing Palestinian 'statehood' or recognition".
Meanwhile the UN Middle East envoy Robert Serry told the Security Council that Jewish settlements were contrary to international law. However, he also warned Palestine against taking any steps in international forums that would make a return to peace talks more difficult.
Last November, the United Nations recognised Palestine as a non-member state, allowing it to take part in meetings of the Security Council or go before the ICC.
Israel rejected the recognition, announcing instead plans to build 1,500 additional housing units in the E1 zone, in East Jerusalem. This would cut the West Bank in two parts, and make it harder for Palestinians to establish a contiguous state with Jerusalem as its capital.
For several decades, Israel has built Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in violation of international law.
At least, 500,000 Israeli settlers live in more than 100 settlements built since the 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The last round of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in late 2010 following a dispute over continued settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
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