​(Communicated by the MFA Spokesperson)

Response to ICC Referral:

The State of Israel takes a severe view in relation to the purported Palestinian referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is a cynical step without legal validity.  The Palestinians continue to exploit the Court for political purposes, rather than work towards resuming the peace process with Israel.

It is absurd that the Palestinian actions vis-à-vis the Court come at a time when the Palestinians continue to incite to acts of terrorism, while exploiting women and children as human shields for violent attacks against the security of Israel's citizens.

The purported Palestinian referral is legally invalid, and the ICC lacks jurisdiction over the Israeli-Palestinian issue, since Israel is not a member of the Court and because the Palestinian Authority is not a state.

Israel expects the ICC and its Prosecutor not to yield to Palestinian pressure, and stand firm against continued Palestinian efforts to politicize the Court and to derail it from its mandate.

Israel acts in accordance with independent and thorough judicial review mechanisms, befitting a democratic state, and in accordance with international law.