RAMALLAH, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki on Monday urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to fulfill its mandate and achieve accountability and equity for the Palestinian people.
"The Palestinians suffered and still suffer from the Israeli occupier's crimes for more than 70 years, awaiting justice," al-Maliki told an online meeting for the ICC member states.
He also called on the ICC to accelerate its determination on the court's regional jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories, according to an official statement sent to reporters.
"The Court's Prosecutor has to ensure that the case study in the Palestinian territories, considered by the first Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC, should not be left open indefinitely because late justice is absent justice," the Palestinian minister said.
Al-Maliki slammed the U.S. threats against the ICC, noting these threats aim to undermine the court and its independence.
Last year, the ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda decided to investigate allegations of possible war crimes Israel committed in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
She asked the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC to determine the territorial boundaries under which the investigation would be conducted. Since then, Israel has boycotted the proceedings of the court. Enditem