Dutch Probe Threats Against Palestinian Rights Lawyer

THE HAGUE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th August, 2016) - Dutch prosecutors are investigating death threats against a lawyer working to provide information about possible Israeli war crimes in Palestinian territories, officials said Thursday. Nada Kiswanson, the representative of the Palestinian group Al-Haq to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, has suffered "continuing death threats and intimidation" since earlier this year, Amnesty International said. The ICC, the world's only permanent war crimes court, has opened a preliminary inquiry into possible crimes by both sides in the Palestinian territories.

The Palestinian Authority sparked controversy when it joined the tribunal in January 2015, and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas last year visited the court with officials handing over files alleging war crimes during the 2014 Gaza war.

But Israel, which has not signed up to the ICC, has vehemently opposed the Palestinian attempt to trigger a full investigation into any war crimes. "These threats against Nada Kiswanson are completely unacceptable and obstruct her in her work," Amnesty said in a statement.