The International Criminal Court ruled Friday that it had jurisdiction over the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, paving the way for the tribunal to open a war crimes investigation.
ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda had asked the court for its legal opinion on whether its reach extended to areas occupied by Israel, after announcing in December 2019 that she wanted to start a full probe.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the ICC as a "political body" while the United States said it had "serious concerns" over the decision.
The Palestinians called it a "victory for law".
The ICC said in a statement that judges had "decided by majority that the court's territorial jurisdiction in the situation in Palestine, a state party to the ICC Rome Statute, extends to the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem."
Palestine is a state party to the court set up in the Netherlands in 2002 to try the world's worst crimes, but Israel is not.
The court added that its decision was not a ruling on Palestinian "statehood", but that as a state party to the court, it should be treated in line with a UN General Assembly statement of the "right of the Palestinian people to self-determination".
"The chamber is neither adjudicating a border dispute under international law nor prejudging the question of any future borders" but made the decision for the "sole purpose of defining the court's territorial jurisdiction", it said.
The administration of former US president Donald Trump slapped sanctions on the prosecutor and another senior court official in September.
The US, which is not a member of the court, enacted the measures after earlier visa bans on Ms Bensouda and others failed to head off the court's war crimes probe into US military personnel in Afghanistan.
But the US has also cited the court's treatment of its ally, Israel.
Mr Netanyahu slammed Friday's decision.
"The tribunal has, once again, proved that it is a political body and not a judicial institution," Mr Netanyahu said in a statement, and added that the decision undermined the "right of democracies to defend themselves against terrorism".
Palestinian civil affairs minister Hussein Al Sheikh said on Twitter that the ruling was a "victory for law, justice, liberty and moral values in the world."
The US State Department said Israel should not be bound by the court as it is not a member.
In a statement, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration is reviewing the decision. “We’re aware of it, and reviewing it,” Mr Price said.
But the US official also echoed concerns. “We share the goals of the ICC to create accountability for the worst crimes against humanity, but we have serious concerns about the ICC's attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel.”
The spokesman also added the US traditional stance that “the court's jurisdiction should be reserved for countries that consent to or that are referred to by the UN Security Council.”
Human Rights Watch however said the ruling was "pivotal", adding that it was "high time that Israeli and Palestinian perpetrators of the gravest abuses" should face justice.
"The ICC's decision finally offers victims of serious crimes some real hope for justice after a half century of impunity," Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at organisation, said in a statement.
Ms Bensouda called for the full investigation following a five-year preliminary probe that began with the 2014 war in Gaza.
At the time, she said she could open a probe on her own authority but wanted to ask the court about the territory it covers due to the "unique and highly contested legal and factual issues attaching to this situation."
Ms Bensouda, who steps down in June, has urged the Biden administration to lift US sanctions.
In a separate case, the court in September dismissed an appeal against a decision not to begin probe into Israel's involvement in a deadly raid on an aid flotilla to Gaza in 2010.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
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england euro squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20Woman%20King%20
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THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
