Kuwait legal team files ICC suits against Israel

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KUWAIT CITY, May 2: According to a recent announcement by a Kuwaiti legal team called “Kuwait Lawyers for Gaza”, it has filed four lawsuits with the International Criminal Court against the massacres committed by Israel in the Palestinian territories. The team demanded the arrest and punishment of Israeli political and military officials for the crimes they committed in violation of international customs and treaties. During a press conference held yesterday morning at the Kuwait Bar Association, Head of the “Kuwait Lawyers for Gaza” team Lawyer Dr. Mohammad Al-Moqatei said he formed a team of 24 male and female lawyers who began their work in November 2023 silently and deliberately.

He explained that the team formed six committees for coordination, communication and preparation. It met 13 times and was keen on documentation and accuracy in its work, in addition to obtaining full knowledge of the procedural aspects with the aim of properly filing claims. The team was also keen to obtain powers of attorney from Palestinian victims and affected persons, and succeeded in obtaining four powers of attorney. The cases related to these powers had been submitted, and other reports would be submitted in due course. The first report is related to the bombing of the Baptist Hospital, the second to the mass killing of 107 people in the Gaza Strip, the third to the killing of three people in the Jenin camp, and the fourth to the destruction of private properties, treatment degrading to human dignity, and physical and mental harm.

The team reviewed previously-filed lawsuits in order to avoid flaws in them. Lawyer Dr. Al-Moqatei insisted that the current lawsuits deserve the issuance of indictments and the arrest of war criminals in Israel. Meanwhile, a team member Dr. Adel Behbehani said he was assigned to prepare civil lawsuits against political and military leaders who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Palestinian territories. He affirmed the keenness of the team to document and estimate the damages suffered by the plaintiffs in order to demand compensation for their severe damages.

Furthermore, a team member Dr. Nawaf Al-Shariaan stressed the keenness of the team to prove that Israel violated the relevant international agreements and laws, including the Geneva Convention, the Rome Statute, and the protocol on the right to self-determination before the occupier. He affirmed that the International Court of Justice has jurisdiction over the communications submitted by the team, indicating that the court’s public prosecutor will take the necessary action regarding them. Dr. Al-Shariaan stressed that these crimes do not have a statute of limitations, even if investigations and legal measures continue for a longer period.

Also, a team member Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Suwaifan said the team is working collectively in an effort to condemn and punish those involved in the massacres. He expressed his keenness as a Kuwaiti team member to defend this issue, as it is an Arab and Islamic issue. Dr. Al-Suwaifan stressed the keenness of the team to prepare its cases with perfection from a legal and procedural standpoint, as well as to obtain data and information from official and reliable sources. In this regard, a team member Lawyer Mashael Abbas stated that supporting the Palestinian cause and the brothers in Gaza deserves all the support from the Kuwaiti team. He praised the Kuwait Bar Association’s cooperation with them in this regard. In addition, Secretary of the Kuwait Bar Association Lawyer Khaled Al- Suwaifan affirmed the association’s support for the team and its initiative to prosecute Israel. He spoke about the losses and defeats suffered by the invaders on the Palestinian lands, highlighting that the Palestinians have proven that they are among the best people in defending their land and dignity.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

This news has been read 986 times!