The International Criminal Court (ICC) has officially opened investigations into war crimes committed in the Palestinian Territories, Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced in The Hague on Wednesday.

Ms. Bensouda did not give further details such as possible suspects, which would be decided at a later date, she said.

All investigations “will be conducted independently, impartially and objectively, without fear or favour,’’ she said in a statement.

Since 2015, Ms. Bensouda has been investigating both sides of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians for war crimes committed since 2014.

Israel sharply criticised the court’s announcement on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the decision anti-Semitic, saying it only left one response, namely to fight for the truth and to protect the soldiers.

President Reuven Rivlin said it was a scandalous step.

“We will not accept claims against the exercise of our right and our obligation to defend our citizens,’’ he wrote on Twitter.

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi called the decision “an act of moral and legal bankruptcy.’’

Meanwhile, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) welcomed the decision, with the Foreign Ministry calling it a long awaited step and announcing the PNA was ready to provide any necessary support.

The Islamist Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, urged the court to withstand any outside pressure.

ICC judges had ruled in February that their jurisdiction extends to territories occupied by Israel, including the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, opening the way for the court to hear war crime cases brought against Israeli officers.

Israel does not recognise the ICC and had harshly condemned this decision at the time.

The Palestinian Territories became a member of the court in 2015.

Ms. Bensouda said in 2019 that she was convinced war crimes had been or were being committed in these areas, and that there was “a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation.’’

A preliminary summary of the court’s findings stated that there was evidence that the Israeli Defence Forces, Israeli authorities, Hamas and armed Palestinian groups had committed war crimes, including during the 2014 hostilities in Gaza.

The killing of Jewish and Arab youths at the time triggered a spiral of violence, with 2,250 Palestinians and 70 Israelis killed in the 50-day conflict.

In 2018, the Palestinian government referred a case to the ICC over Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, the killing of Palestinians during protests at the Gaza-Israel border and Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel.

Israel seized control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War.

The Palestinians claim the territories for their own state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

(dpa/NAN)