The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) launched a preliminary probe on Friday that could clear the way for a full-scale investigation into possible war crimes in Palestinian territories, plunging the court into the most politically charged conflict it has ever investigated.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in a statement she will conduct the preliminary examination with “full independence and impartiality.” The announcement comes after the Palestinian Authority acceded to The Hague-based court’s founding treaty and recognised its jurisdiction dating back to the eve of last summer’s Gaza war.