WASHINGTON, January 13 (Sputnik) – US President Barack Obama has stated that the Palestinian Authority is not eligible to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) as it has not gained statehood yet, as reported by the White House.
"On the Palestinian ICC bid, President Obama reiterated the United States' position that the Palestinian Authority does not yet constitute a state and is therefore not eligible to accede to the Rome Statute," the White House said on Monday.
During a telephone call with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Obama stressed that Washington believes that the accession of the Palestinian Authority to the ICC is hardly "a constructive way forward."
Last week, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that the Palestinian Authority will join the ICC on April 1. Palestinians have long been striving to create an independent state on territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
