JERUSALEM (AP) — The International Criminal Court says its jurisdiction extends to territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, appearing to clear the way for its chief prosecutor to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions.


The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in 2019 that there was a “reasonable basis” to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank. But she asked the court determine whether she has territorial jurisdiction before proceeding with the case.


The Palestinians, who joined the court in 2015, have pushed for the case. Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, has said the court has no jurisdiction.


The Palestinians have asked the court to look into Israeli actions during its 2014 war against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, as well as Israel’s construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank and annexed east Jerusalem.


The international community widely considers the settlements to be illegal under international law.