The “State of Palestine” joined the International Criminal Court in the Hague on Wednesday, welcomed in a brief ceremony presided over by the ICC’s Second Vice-President, Judge Kuniko Ozaki and attended by most of the Court’s senior leadership. Ozaki said “Accession to a treaty is, of course, just the first step. As the Rome Statute today enters into force for the State of Palestine, Palestine acquires all the rights as well as responsibilities that come with being a State Party to the Statute. These are substantive commitments, which cannot be taken lightly.” Meanwhile, Israel and the US government maintain that there is no such thing as the “State of Palestine” until such a state comes into being as a result of completing a negotiating process with Israel or a resolution at the UN Security Council. Read More
