In 2021, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) determined that the Court may exercise its jurisdiction over certain international crimes, including war crimes, committed in Palestine since June 2014, and that the scope of its territorial jurisdiction extends to Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Shortly afterwards, the then ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, announced the opening of an investigation into alleged international crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The current ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, visited the Rafah crossing in Egypt on 29 October where he confirmed that his office’s investigation is ongoing and has jurisdiction over alleged international crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory or by Palestinian nationals. This includes jurisdiction over current events in Gaza and the West Bank. In his statement at Rafah, Prosecutor Khan committed to scrutinising all information his office receives that is relevant or probative to alleged crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory or Israel.
Ireland is a strong supporter of the Court, and respects the independence and impartiality of the Office of the Prosecutor. We have been consistent in saying that all situations before the Court warrant adequate attention and resourcing, including the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. Ireland made a voluntary contribution amounting to €3 million to the ICC last year, in addition to its assessed annual contribution, to help address the Court’s resource challenges.
