RAMALLAH, October 11, 2026 (WAFA) – The Palestinian Bar Association rejected US measures targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC), warning of their implications for the independence of international justice and its ability to prosecute perpetrators of international crimes. It stressed the need to protect victims’ right to access justice, including that of the Palestinian people.
In a statement, the association said that imposing sanctions on the Court, its staff, and entities cooperating with it affects not only the judicial institution itself but also the principles underpinning the international legal system, foremost among them judicial independence, equality before the law, and accountability for perpetrators of serious international crimes.
It affirmed that the ICC, established under the Rome Statute, is one of the international mechanisms for combating impunity, stressing that any measures that impede its work or affect its independence require careful legal assessment in light of relevant rules of international law.
The association stressed that the independence of international justice must not be subject to political considerations. It emphasized that judicial institutions must be allowed to exercise their legal jurisdiction in full respect of judicial procedures and safeguards, rather than being subjected to measures that could obstruct their work or intimidate their personnel.
It called on States Parties to the Rome Statute to fulfill their legal and institutional responsibilities in supporting the Court and ensuring the continuity of its work, and to consider appropriate measures to address the effects of the sanctions and protect the independence of international justice.
It also called on international bar associations, lawyers’ unions, and legal and human rights institutions to adopt clear professional stances and intensify coordination to defend international judicial independence and reject any pressure that could undermine the international justice system.
The association affirmed that protecting the ICC is not a political issue concerning any specific state or people, but a responsibility tied to safeguarding the international legal system, upholding victims’ rights, and entrenching the principle that everyone is subject to the law.
It renewed its commitment to defending the rule of law, human rights, and the right to judicial redress, emphasizing that achieving justice for the Palestinian people is contingent upon ensuring ongoing legal accountability, ending impunity, and respecting the rights guaranteed by international conventions.
The ICC was established under the Rome Statute, which entered into force in 2002. It has jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, subject to the applicable legal conditions. The State of Palestine acceded to the Rome Statute in 2015, and in 2021, the Court ruled that its territorial jurisdiction extends to the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem. While the Court’s jurisdiction remains subject to the provisions of its Statute, its independence and cooperation by states remain central to the international criminal justice system.
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