Netanyahu Calls on ICC to Reject Palestinian Request for Membership

TEL AVIV, January 1 (Sputnik) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) Thursday to reject the Palestinian bid to join it.

“We expect the International Criminal Court to reject the hypocritical [Palestinian ICC membership] request on the ground that Palestinian Authority is not a state. It is an entity, aligned with the terrorist organization Hamas,” Netanyahu said.

On Wednesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed a request to join the ICC, as well as about 20 other international organizations, after the UN Security Council failed to pass the resolution on the creation of an independent Palestinian state. The Palestinian ICC membership bid is an attempt to continue to seek the adoption of the UN Security Council resolution on ending the occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel. Abbas also said that he is going to use the ICC membership to sue Israeli politicians and military.

In response to the Palestinian move, Netanyahu said Wednesday he will take all the steps necessary to defend Israeli soldiers from potential prosecution.

On Tuesday, the UN Security Council rejected the Palestinian statehood resolution, with eight nations, including Russia, supporting the document, the United States and Australia voting against it and five countries abstaining. In order to be adopted by the Security Council, a resolution must be backed by at least nine countries including all five permanent Security Council representatives.