WASHINGTON, January 17 (Sputnik) – The United States opposes the launch of a preliminary inquiry by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into alleged war crimes committed in Palestinian territories, State Department spokesperson Jeff Rathke has stressed in a statement.
All issues pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be resolved through "direct negotiations" and the United States "will continue to oppose actions against Israel at the ICC", the statement stressed.
The ICC announced its decision to open a preliminary examination into alleged atrocities in Palestinian territories on Friday. ICC prosecutors stressed in a statement that the probe is not an investigation and is meant to determine whether there is any reasonable basis to initiate one.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had previously indicated that he sees the ICC as means to prosecute Israel for constant attacks against Palestinians, who are striving to create an independent state on the West Bank territories, including East Jerusalem, partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.
Earlier this week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced that Palestine would join the ICC on April 1.
