Image by Getty Images

The White House said efforts to have Israel charged with war crimes at the International Criminal Court are “counterproductive” and would be opposed by Washington.

The statement came hours after Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki handed ICC prosecutors a file detailing alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza and describing construction in the West Bank settlements and east Jerusalem, the Associated Press reported Friday.

Image by Getty Images

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The United States has “made clear that we oppose actions against Israel at the ICC as counterproductive,” National Security Council spokesman Alistair Baskey said after the Palestinians submitted their evidence in The Hague.

The file, based on findings by a Palestinian commission of inquiry and information from non-government groups, is directed toward a preliminary investigation by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda into possible crimes on Palestinian territory.

Israel earlier slammed the Palestinian move, calling it an “attempt to manipulate and politicize the judicial mechanisms of the ICC.”

“We hope that the prosecutor will not fall in that trap,” said Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman of the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Bensouda’s initial probe aims to establish if there is enough evidence to merit opening a full-scale investigation that could ultimately lead to charges against both Israelis and Palestinians. It is not clear how long the process will take.

Malki said the information forms “a compelling case for the prompt opening of an investigation.”

He said it includes details on Israel’s settlements and military offensive throughout the Palestinian-claimed territories, particularly last year’s Gaza war, and also outlined allegations of crimes committed against Palestinian prisoners.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount