February 1, 2023
Sourani Holds Meetings with Families of Victims of Israeli Violations
Sourani Holds Meetings with Families of Victims of Israeli Violations

Ref: 03/2023

Date: 01 February 2023

On 01 February 2023, the legal team at the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) headed by Raji al-Sourani held a meeting at PCHR’s office in Khan Yunis with the families of the victims in the 2014, 2021 and 2022 Israeli offensives, Great March of Return and crimes of the Israeli-imposed closure on the Gaza Strip.  Meanwhile the day before, a meeting was held with the families of the victims at PCHR’s office in Jabalia, and a sooner meeting is supposed to be held with the victims’ families in Gaza City.

These meetings in general are part of PCHR’s continuous communication with the victims represented by PCHR, particularly at the international Criminal Court (ICC).  These meetings are also to brief the victims and their families on the latest updates and legal engagement with the ICC Prosecutor office.

During the two meetings, PCHR’s Director, Raji al-Sourani, indicated that the decision taken by the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC on 05 February 2021 emphasizing the court has jurisdiction over the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) and the ICC Prosecutor’s subsequent decision to form a committee to investigate crimes committed in the oPt within the jurisdiction of the ICC consituted an important step and hopeful initiative for the victims to access the long-awaited justice.  He also emphasized that this step was the outcome of years of professional and persistent legal work of the local and international legal team representing the Palestinian victims.

Al-Sourani said that we hoped that those decisions would be the beginning of a new era of accountability for crimes committed against victims and their families, but to date, we have not seen any tangible steps in this investigation, and Prosecutor Karim Khan has not taken any action in the situation of Palestine, which has not been given the same level of attention, action and resources given to situations of other countries such as Ukraine.

Sourani emphasized during the two meetings that a conference titled as “Palestine at the ICC: Justice Delayed is Justice Denied” was held at the beginning of December 2022 in the Hague with partner organizations,” expressing concerns about lack of progress in the investigation conducted by the Office of the ICC Prosecutor into the Situation of Palestine.  Several meetings were held following the conference between PCHR’s international legal team, the partner organizations, diplomats, and experts to discuss mechanisms to exert pressure on the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the situation of Palestine.

Sourani explained to the families of the victims that on 06 December 2022, during the 21st session of the Assembly of High States Parties to the Rome Statute in the Hague, he delivered a speech where he emphasized the Palestinian victims’ right to justice, and that the Public Prosecutor should give them attention similar to others to avoid double standards and selectivity when dealing with the investigations that might be interpreted as politicization.

It is noteworthy that lawyer Raji Sourani is the first Palestinian lawyer to be registered at the ICC and leads PCHR’s legal team before it in defense of the Palestinian victims they represent.

At the end of the meeting, Sourani stressed that our legitimate struggle and legal engagement with the ICC would continue in support of all the bloodshed and sufferings of the victims and their families as it is our first and last cause.

For their part, families of the victims expressed their faith and trust in PCHR’s efforts over the past years, as they strongly believe that PCHR and its staff would spare no effort to confront these difficulties.  They concluded that they are side by side with PCHR against this legitimate challenge until justice is achieved for the victims and their families.