Press Statement by:  David Parsons, ICEJ VP & Senior Int. Spokesman

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem pledged on Wednesday to actively oppose the International Criminal Court’s selective decision to unlawfully expand its jurisdiction so a war crimes probe could be launched against Israel, the world’s only Jewish state, a biased move which has opened up the Court to justifiable accusations of antisemitism.

The Christian Embassy noted the obvious absurdity of this ruling: Israel is not a member of the ICC and has serious, proactive judicial mechanisms in place to investigate and try any such crimes, while the Palestinians do not qualify as a sovereign state under the Rome Statute governing the Court. Therefore, the Court has no legal standing or authority to investigate and charge Israel with war crimes in the ‘occupied territories’.

“It seems the Court has caved to an overzealous special prosecutor by distorting international law to empower her quest to indict Israelis on invalid and unsustainable charges”, said ICEJ President Dr. Jürgen Bühler. “The ICC is giving daily passes to brutal regimes like Iran and Syria which are committing horrific atrocities against their own people, and instead wants to prosecute Jews for building balconies on their homes in eastern Jerusalem as if they were Nazi war criminals. The ICEJ will work through our vast global network of national branches and activists, as well as with other respected organisations, to urge that all ICC member states reject and rescind this outrageous decision.”

For more information, contact:

David Parsons
Vice President & Senior International Spokesman
International Christian Embassy Jerusalem