Benett. Will take Palestinians to the ICC
Photo: Aner Green
Israel: If Palestinians take us to the ICC, we'll respond in kind
Sources close to Bennett say Israel could take the Palestinians to the ICC over Gaza rocket fire, incitement to terrorism.
Sources close to Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said Friday that if the Palestinians complain to the International Criminal Court against Israel, Jerusalem would respond in kind.
"In the last few days we brought legal consultants and organizations together and they began work on a plan that when the time comes, if we need to, we will file a complaint against the Palestinian leadership at The Hague," the sources said.
"They are threatening us and we learned what to do while facing such a threat," they continued.
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According to the sources, Israel will take the Palestinians to the ICC over Gaza rocket fire at Israeli civilians and for incitement to terrorism.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership transfer money to the Gaza Strip on a monthly basis, and Hamas is a party under the PA, the sources claimed. "So, in effect, it is the Palestinian Authority that is firing (the rockets)."
In addition, the PA "is paying pensions to prisoners we freed and to terrorists currently sitting in Israeli prisons. This payment is like paying (them) for committing terrorist attacks."
The sources said the group of legal consultants was also working on a defense in case the Palestinians take Israel to the ICC over settlement construction.
"We'll come and explain to the world that Russia also did this in Georgia, and Turkey did this in Cyprus. If Israel is exposed, then so are Russia and Turkey," they said.
"Accepting such a suit has consequences, and it's important everyone understand this," they continued.
