MP: Abbas halted ICC bid on Israeli war crimes
Published yesterday (updated) 14/09/2014 18:33
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=727111

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas has blocked an attempt to push
for the prosecution of Israel for war crimes in Gaza at the International
Criminal Court, the second-deputy speaker of the Palestinian parliament said
on Friday.

Hasan Khreisha told Ma'an that the Palestinian Authority's decision to join
the ICC and thus press charges against Israel for its offensive that killed
more than 2,100 and devastated the Gaza Strip was halted by Abbas in order
to push forward a new peace talks bid.

"President Abbas decided not to sue Israel at the ICC unless his new
initiative fails to resume peace talks with Israel," Khreisha said, adding
that the PA was waiting for the United States to officially reply to a
message from Abbas asking for the resumption of talks.

Abbas has been under fire within Palestine in recent days for failing to
support a move to make Palestine an ICC member, most sharply by Hamas, which
on Friday said that "signing the Rome Statute is the right of every victim
and stalling is neglecting their rights and an offense to the image of
Palestinians."

Israel and the United States have both tried to prevent the Palestinians
from joining the international court, fearing that Israel would be
investigated and prosecuted for war crimes.

Khreisha told Ma'an that even though all major Palestinian parties had given
president Abbas a document in which they voiced their support for
Palestinian accession to the ICC, "so far no practical steps have been taken
in that direction."

"There are many golden opportunities open to the Palestinian leadership, but
we are not using them," he added.

"Rights should not be traded for other rights, and we should not stick to
one option at the expense of other options."

The allegations are likely to arouse further criticism of Abbas' leadership
within Palestinian circles, as critic saw his performance during Israel's
more than 50-day assault on Gaza as inept and hold him accountable for
failing to stop the bloody offensive.

Over the last week, meanwhile, Abbas has pointed the finger at Hamas for
trying to run a "shadow government" and thus undermining the national unity
government, claims which Hamas has roundly denied.

The tensions between Fatah and Hamas threaten to undo the technocratic unity
government that was agreed upon in April and potentially reignite a split in
the Palestinian leadership less than six months after an seven-year division
came to end.
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