The Hague/Gaza, April 1 (IANS): Palestine joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) with full membership on Wednesday, a development chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat described as a "historic day in the struggle for justice, freedom and peace".
Palestine becoming a full ICC member comes after its accession to the Rome Statute went into force, allowing it to file cases of war crimes such as those committed in the occupied territories of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
During a ceremony held on Wednesday at the Hague Tribunal on the occasion of the accession, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki received a symbolic copy of the Rome Statute, the treaty which established the ICC, Efe news agency reported.
On January 1, the Palestinian National Authority submitted a document to the court declaring it a signatory to 16 multilateral treaties, including the Rome Statute.
According to the document, the Palestinian government accepted the jurisdiction of the highest international tribunal for alleged crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territories since June 13, 2014.
The Palestinian government had already declared its acceptance of the jurisdiction of the ICC on June 13, 2014, through a declaration issued in line with Article 12, subsection three, of the Rome Statute.
"Today marks the official membership of the state of Palestine to the International Criminal Court, reflecting Palestine's commitment to justice, international law and human rights," Erekat told the press in Gaza.
The chief negotiator explained that this step is a reminder to the international community of its responsibilities under international law as a means to achieve just and lasting peace, and to end the prolonged occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Erekat also urged the international community to defend the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people through supporting the government's judicious, peaceful step to end years of impunity, occupation and exile.
The Palestinian official once again called on all nations to recognize the state of Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Palestine is the 123rd member of the ICC after its accession, which was halfheartedly welcomed by senior Hamas leader Ismail Radwan who called on the ICC to immediately raise charges against "Israeli occupation leaders" for crimes committed against the Palestinian people.
Radwan further stressed the Gazan authority's support for any Palestinian effort to expose crimes of the occupation, despite his concern that the accession may simply be a "political manoeuvre".