Goldstone
GoldstoneIsrael news photo: Wikimedia Commons

In an interview, PA Justice Minister Ali Al-Khashan said that 'we do not have any documentation for the Israeli crimes.'
A Palestinian Authority official has admitted that while the PA has been urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to pursue war crimes charges against IDF troops, the only evidence the PA has been able to supply is the Goldstone panel's report, which was approved by the United Nations Human Rights Commission last week.

PA Justice Minister Ali Al-Khashan said Saturday that anyone expecting quick action by the court on the alleged Israeli war crimes needed to "have patience," because "we do not have any documentation for the Israeli crimes." He said that the PA was hoping to join the ICC in order to more easily pursue cases against Israel, and that such membership would give the PA "the ability to confront with peaceful follow-up the revelation of Israeli war crimes."

"The Goldstone Report set out mechanisms [leading to the prosecution of Israeli war criminals], and the Human Rights Council set out mechanisms that clarified those steps," Al-Khasham said. "Now the PA is carrying out those steps."

In order to join the Court, the PA must adopt the Rome Statute, which forms the basis in international law for the ICC. In order to become a member of the court, nations or entities (such as the PA) must agree to allow the Court to prosecute its citizens, and to voluntarily turn them over to international authorities for trial and punishment.