The Palestinian Authority has submitted an official complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over Israeli violations against Palestinian children.
The move came as Israeli occupation authorities extended the detention of 16-year-old girl Ahed al-Tamimi for the fifth time, in relation to a video of her slapping and kicking an Israeli soldier.
In a statement released on Saturday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki called on ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to “exercise her legal authority without delay, to prevent the continuation of crimes being committed against the Palestinian people.”
He cited the case of al-Tamimi, who was first detained by Israeli forces on Dec. 19, as another proof of Israeli policies and crimes against the Palestinian people.
“This complaint against Israeli criminals is a proof on the necessity to accelerate the opening of a criminal investigation to guarantee fair justice to Palestinian children and victims,” he said, according to Days of Palestine.
Last week, the Palestinian Central Council announced the referral of the issues relating to Israeli settlement building and Palestinians held captive in Israeli jails, to the ICC.
According to Palestinian figures, over 6,400 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons, including 300 children.
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