Israel can be prosecuted by Arab states for crimes in Gaza, says legal expert

An expert in international law has said that Arab countries could prosecute Israel for its crimes against the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, Quds Press has reported. Dr Mohammed Al-Mousa explained on Tuesday that Israel has signed Article 9 of the Penal Code, as has Jordan, meaning that the Kingdom could go to the International Criminal Court in an effort to end the Israeli massacres in Gaza.

He added that Arab countries could also form a criminal court to try and prosecute Israeli leaders for the crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Al-Mousa also questioned the “integrity” of ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, saying that it is possible that he will open an investigation into the 7 October attacks and issue arrest warrants for the Palestinian resistance leaders under the pretext that Palestine has insufficient judicial authority. Earlier this week, Palestinian organisations refused to meet Khan, accusing him of bias.

“As Palestinian human rights organisations, we decided not to meet with him,” said the Director General of the Independent Commission for Human Rights, Ammar Dweik. “I believe the way [Khan’s] visit was handled shows that he is not carrying out his work in an independent and professional manner.”

Palestinian forces and factions condemned Khan’s statements and bias towards the “false and misleading narrative of the [Israeli] occupation.” They also condemned his visit to Israel, the occupying state, after which he issued advance judgments about the events on 7 October without bothering to visit the Gaza Strip and listen to the “other party”, which conflicts with the minimum requirements of justice and judicial procedures.

OPINION: The ICC prosecutor betrayed his professional ethics and is a disgrace for the British legal system