Lawyers, legal experts call for holding Israel accountable for 'war crimes' in Gaza

AMMAN — Legal experts have urged the Jordanian and Palestinian governments, as well as trade unions and human rights organisations, to take the Israeli occupation to international courts for its genocidal crimes against Palestinians in Gaza.

President of the Jordan Bar Association (JBA) Yahya Abu Abboud said the syndicate is "committed to its duties and will implement its resolutions to prosecute war criminals and document Israeli crimes against the Palestinians", the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Abu Abboud's remarks came during a seminar organised by the JBA's Palestine and Anti-Normalisation Committee on Monday titled, "Pursuing the Israeli occupation for war crimes in the Gaza Strip".

Hashem Al Shahwan, the committee's rapporteur explained that a legal support body will be established to "prosecute the [Israeli] occupiers for war crimes at international and national courts".

"This body will also prepare legal studies on war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip and Palestine as a whole to provide a legal basis for the official political and diplomatic stance," according to Petra.

Lawyer Mohammed Alwan said that there are three cases against the occupation pending before the International Criminal Court: The 2014 aggression on Gaza, the Great March of Return and the settlements."The current crimes of genocide in Gaza could be added to these cases."

Shahad Hamouri said, "It is the international duty of Arab countries to prevent genocide in Gaza and to call for the activation of the Genocide Convention." 

"International law serves colonialist purposes, but there are voices calling for justice," she said.

JBA was among 106 organisations to sign a request for an investigation into crimes of genocide, Hamouri said, adding preliminary evidence has been submitted to the International Court of Justice, she said.

She added that only five countries from the 57 ones that went to the Court were pro-occupation. "There are attempts to prevent the Court's intervention on the grounds which may result in decisions that will affect negotiations and peace process between Palestinians and Israelis."

"It is mportant to understand that proving genocide crimes is a difficult task, even though 800 international lawyers have confirmed that what is happening in Gaza is genocide."

She said that the High Commissioner refuses to use the term "crime of genocide" and that the genocide crimes team is working with experts to prove it, Petra said.