Palestine urges world court to issue arrest warrants for illegal West Bank settlers

By Awad Rajoob

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Palestine urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Sunday to issue arrest warrants against illegal Israeli settlers committing crimes in the West Bank and called for international intervention to compel Israel to halt settlement projects.

In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the court to swiftly issue arrest warrants for extremist settlers and their backers who commit crimes against Palestinians.

It also called on the international community to urgently intervene to force Israel to cease all settlement activities, dismantle armed settler organizations and militias, withdraw weapons, halt funding and punish those providing support and protection.''

The statement also called for "imposing binding international sanctions on the entire colonial settlement system, deeming it illegal and illegitimate.”

Illegal settlers on Friday launched a massive attack on the village of Al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah in central West Bank, resulting in the killing of a young man and injury of dozens of Palestinians besides torching 40 homes and dozens of vehicles.

The settlers on Saturday renewed their attacks on several Palestinian villages and towns in Ramallah and Nablus.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a military offensive against the Gaza Strip after a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

While illegal settlers increased their attacks, the Israeli army escalated its operations, killing at least 463 Palestinians, injuring 4,750 and detaining more than 8,000 others, according to Palestinian sources.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul