(CNS) Two leading American Muslim organizations on Thursday slammed Secretary of State Antony Blinken for voicing opposition to the International Criminal Court decision to open an investigation into alleged crimes in the Palestinian territories. American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) were additionally unhappy about Blinken’s reference to “the Palestinian situation” — rather than their favored terms such as “apartheid” or “campaign of terror.”
In a Wednesday night statement, Blinken had said the U.S. firmly opposes ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s announcement confirming “the opening of an investigation into the Palestinian situation.”
Reaffirming a position also held by the Trump administration, he said the U.S. does not believe the Palestinian territories constitute a sovereign state, and as a result are not qualified to participate as a state in international bodies, including the ICC.
