US protests 'State of Palestine' placard in UN
Israel proceeds with plans to build settlements on a contentious tract of land east of Jerusalem, the Palestinians will file a case in the International Criminal Court.
Israel's envisaged construction of 3,500 apartments in the area known as E-1 would hinder Palestinian access to east Jerusalem from the West Bank. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
``If Israel would like to go further by implementing the E-1 plan and the other related plans around Jerusalem, then yes, we would be going to the International Criminal Court,'' he said. ``We would have no other choice. It depends on the Israeli decision. Israel knows very well our position.''
Since winning recognition as a nonmember U.N. observer state, the Palestinians believe they now qualify for membership in the ICC, although that remains unclear.
In opposing the Palestinian bid for upgraded U.N. status, Israel cited Palestinian threats to turn to the ICC to prosecute Israeli officials for a variety of alleged crimes. Israel does not recognize the court's jurisdiction and believes its own actions do not violate international law, but officials are concerned legal action could embarrass the country.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas took another symbolic step to capitalize on the U.N. status two weeks ago, proclaiming that letterhead and signs would bear the name “State of Palestine.''
Robert Serry, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told reporters that the nameplate read ``state of Palestine'' because the U.N. Secretariat ``is guided by the membership, which
