Palestinians announce fresh ICC push against Israel over Khan al-Ahmar

The Palestinians announced Tuesday a fresh push against Israel at the International Criminal Court in the Hague over the slated demolition of the Palestinian community of Khan al-Ahmar.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat stated that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) delivered a submission to Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda over  Israeli war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly the imminent demolition of Khan al-Ahmar community.

The announcement came a day after US National Security Adviser John Bolton warned the court against prosecution of US or Israeli officials for war crimes in the Middle East.

The submission “included a focus on the war crimes facing Khan al-Ahmar, specifically the crimes of forcible displacement, ethnic cleansing and the destruction of civilian property,” said Erekat.

Speaking during a press conference in Ramallah, Erekat called on ICC to expedite the opening of the investigation into Israel’s crimes and issue a warning to Israel against the forceful displacement and demolition of Khan al-Ahmar.

In a video posted on the official Twitter account of the PLO Negotiations Affairs Department, Erekat urged Bensouda to meet with the council of the village as well as Minister Walid Assaf, head of the Committee against the Wall and Settlements.

Last week, the Israeli High Court ruled in favor of the demolition that would allow Israel to forcefully displace the Palestinian community and build a Jewish-only settlement in their location.

Erekat went on to slam the US administration for its latest decision to shutter the PLO office in Washington as well as earlier decisions to cut off $200 million for the UN relief agency (UNRWA), relocate the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and consider settlements legal.

Reiterating the disqualification of the US as an honest peace broker, Erekat said: “I do not think these people ]the Trump administration[ can be part of any peace process or sit in any negotiations” as they are “part of the problem and not part of the solution.”

He concluded by saying that the only way US President Donald Trump’s advisor Jared Kushner, Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman can “meet us in any negotiating room” is if Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu announce them as part of the Israeli negotiation team.