Abbas: Palestinians Pushing International Courts to Move Against Israeli Settlements

"Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Tuesday that the Palestinian leadership plans to continue to confront Israeli settlements in international institutions, commenting on the Knesset's passage of a law that legalizes settlement homes on private Palestinian land.

'This legislation is in violation of international law, and we will continue our work with international courts to protect our existence and survival on the land of Palestine,' Abbas told a press conference in Paris.

While Abbas did not specify with which courts the leadership will continue to work, the two major international courts which could deal with settlements are the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

The ICC Prosecutor-General Fatou Bensouda is currently carrying out a preliminary examination of a number of issues in the West Bank and Gaza Strip including settlements, but has yet to decide if she wants to open a full investigation into them..."