DHAKA: Prosecutors at the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) will open a preliminary inquiry into possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories, the first formal step that could lead to charges against officials there and in Israel, the court has said.

They will determine whether preliminary findings merit a full investigation into alleged atrocities, which could result in charges against individuals on either the Israeli or Palestinian side.

"A preliminary examination is not an investigation but a process of examining the information available in order to reach a fully informed determination on whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation pursuant to the criteria established by the Rome Statute," the court's statement said on Friday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman condemned the ICC’s decision as "scandalous".

In a statement, Lieberman said that the sole purpose of the preliminary examination was to "try to harm Israel's right to defend itself from terror".

He said the decision was "solely motivated by political anti-Israel considerations," adding that he would recommend against cooperating with the probe.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Ramallah, Ammar Hijazi, a Palestinian foreign ministry official, said the Palestinian Authority believed that all necessary aspects were featured in the case.

"The gravity aspect is there, as civilians were targeted [in the war in Gaza]," he said.

"Palestine is ready to fully cooperate if there are any violations commited during the war by the Palestinian side as well."

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki told the AFP news agency: "Everything is going according to plan, no state and nobody can now stop this action we requested ... In the end, a full investigation will follow the preliminary one."

Source: Al-Jazeera

BDST: 0909 HRS, JAN 17, 2015