Palestine’s Day in Court? The Unexpected Effects of ICC Action

posted on: Apr 2, 2015

Palestine’s membership of the International Criminal Court (ICC) formally goes into effect April 1, 2015. As Palestinians and proponents of international justice worldwide await the Office of the Prosecutor’s next move, it is important to assess what heavy-lifting the ICC could realistically undertake in the Palestine-Israel context as well as what other accountability avenues exist.

Against the backdrop of Palestine’s brief yet turbulent history at the ICC, Al-Shabaka Guest Author Valentina Azarova discusses the current state of play regarding Palestine at the ICC and its potential trajectory given the Court’s practice and policy considerations. She also discusses Israel’s legal offensive against the Palestinian move, including pressure against the ICC itself, the potential for an ICC examination to further other accountability efforts, including those directed towards third party actors, and the danger that the UN Security Council may suspend the investigation. In doing so, Azarova addresses many of the misconceptions that exist about what the ICC can and cannot do – including amongst Palestinian policy makers themselves. She concludes with policy recommendations for a way forward.

Source: al-shabaka.org