Egypt urges support for international court to punish war criminals

"Egypt underscored support for the International Criminal Court to be a sound instrument for punishing violators of the international human law, which falls within its jurisdiction," Egypt's permanent delegate the UN ambassador Ahmed Abul-Gheit said.

Abul-Gheit, before a UN General Assembly session devoted to discussing the Middle East crisis, expressed regret over incidents in the occupied lands, the flagrant violations of international human law and the use of internationally-banned weapons.

"The court Egypt wants to see in the future is one that is strong, independent and capable of punishing those violations anywhere without any exceptions," said Abul-Gheit.

"Egypt has always worked since the first stages of negotiations over the Court's basic system on having it to be an independent body away from political considerations and double-standard policies," he added.

He pointed out that any attempts to amend the basic system endorsed in Rome in 1998 so as to except citizens of some countries from the Court's jurisdiction "will not be met with Egyptian support." Abul-Gheit called for a priority to define the crime of aggression, which will be followed up in upcoming meetings.

"The Court, whose seat will be in the Hague, will look into crimes to be committed after it is in effect and will not have a retroactive jurisdiction," he noted.

"The Court's basic system was ratified by 144 and signed by 21 countries so far while more than 20 countries announced taking constitutional procedures for ratification," said Abul-Gheit.

Meanwhile, Israeli permanent delegate refuted accusations of using "excessive" power by Israeli army to put down violence in Arab lands.

He said no nation can allow violence against its people and not respond, in reference to the killing of two soldiers by energy Palestinians.

The US delegate refused a special session of UN General Assembly dedicated to violence in Arab occupied lands. It's noteworthy the US was the only abstained in voting for UN Security Council resolution October 7 that condemns the use of excessive power against Palestinians. He reaffirmed he will abort any further resolutions on the same topic.