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US says bringing Israel before ICC for war crimes 'counterproductive'

WASHINGTON, May 23 (KUNA) -- The United States late Tuesday said it opposes the Palestinian State's move to bring Israel before the International Criminal Court for human rights abuses.
"We oppose the actions taking place against Israel at the International Criminal Court because we see that simply as counterproductive," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters in Washington. The Trump administration remains committed to bringing Israelis and Palestinians "back to the table where they can have a good concrete negotiation about the peace process going forward and the ICC just doesn't do that," Nauert added. Earlier in the month, the US embassy was opened in Jerusalem in recognition of the city as the capital of Israel, prompting swift international protest.
The Palestinian State government called on the ICC to immediately open an investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity, and apartheid. Recently, Israeli soldiers killed more than 110 civilians in Gaza and shot thousands more protesting.
Meanwhile, the White House welcomed the move of the Paraguayan embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
"We thank our Western Hemisphere partner for joining us in recognizing Israel's capital and encourage additional moves," the White House said in a statement, a week after the US inaugurated its embassy in Israel in Jerusalem.
Paraguay is the second country to follow the US in making the politically sensitive move from Tel Aviv. (end) hy.gta