THE Palestinian Authority (PA) today demanded that the International Criminal Court (ICC) treat Israeli courts as tools of the occupation and its judges as war criminals.

In a statement issued by the PA’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, the ministry affirmed its view that the Israeli courts are part and parcel of the Israeli occupation regime, that their rulings are “equal to war crimes” and that their judges are “war criminals.”

It claimed they are part of the drive to Israelise Jerusalem, citing the example of the ruling to evacuate the al-Rajabi building in the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan and handing it over to Ateret Cohanim, an organisation seeking to increase Jewish presence in the Old City.

This comes after the Palestinian Foreign Ministry criticised the EU’s rejection of Israeli measures in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in occupied Jerusalem, as too little, too late. 

EU communication officer for Palestine Shadi Othman reiterated the EU’s rejection of Israeli actions in Palestine  and called on it to stop its violations and to respect international law.

Mr Othman stressed that the EU was following up on events in Jerusalem and its suburbs, with “great concern.”

However, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said: “The occupying power has established a sort of immunity against any effects and consequences of statements issued by the European Union or its individual member states as it continues to commit crimes against our people, throwing against the wall all the international condemnations, pleas and expressions of concern.”

It emphasised that “contentment with statements of rejection of occupation measures remains timid, weak and late and does not rise to the level of the problem and the responsibilities of the European Union and its member states.”

The statement called on the EU “to take a stronger position to confront the open battle over Jerusalem.”

Earlier this week the Israeli Defence Minister Natfali Bennett issued an administrative restraining order preventing 30 Israeli activists from entering the West Bank to take part in demonstrations against the occupation. 

One of those included Jonathan Pollock, who refuses to recognise the Israeli courts and remains in detention after far-right group Ad Kan filed a complaint against him, alleging his presence in Palestine amounted to an assault on Israeli security services.