that aggression aggression is not a crime that is currently under the jurisdiction of the international criminal court should we not have a grievance shouldn't be there but we can't say that was a criminal action that it be there i personally am not a huge favor of the crime of aggression being something adjudicated before the i.c.c. i think aggression is one of those things which again in nuremberg it was the crime of crimes there's something aspirational a very attractive about coming along in saying well without a war you don't get war crimes you know crimes against humanity and these other horrible things but the fact of the matter is it is awfully difficult to arrive at a satisfactory legal definition of aggression and i do worry about using the courts simply as a tool to settle political grievances between nations it george you want to jump in there. let's go george you know yes it's very hard to see how. the invasion and destruction of iraq which u.s. government officials i just don't rumsfeld have admitted to cause the death of some one hundred thousand iraqis how that doesn't reach the thresh

>> the christians in nigeria have made an effort in recent years to request that the international criminal court find that the boko haram has been responsible for these acts of violence. and what this means is that they are going to receive justice. hopefully the international criminal court will now take this to the next step, will take their investigative process to the point of actual indictments. the next step is to actually call up specific individuals as terrorists and designate them as terrorists. in fact, the united states earlier this summer, the united states department of state did designate three leaders of the boko haram as terrorists. unfortunately, the state department has not designated the boko haram as an organization as a foreign terrorist organization. we believe that still has to happen, and we are encouraging people to sign up with a petition to the white house, requesting that the boko haram be put on the foreign terrorist organization list. this is an organization responsible, in our count, this year alone, 1,317 civilians in nigeria have been killed by boko haram. no oth

to accept the jurisdiction of the international criminal court under article twelve paragraphs wary of the world statute which he did do and then palestine filed a complaint with the i.c.c. great operation cast lead now what happened in may a case that was then we i.c.c. prosecutor at the time marino compo said he would open an investigation into two points one did palestine hands the capacity to accept the jurisdiction of the i.c.c. two did israel commit war crimes and crimes against humanity in operation cast lead well the latter question was answered in the goldstone report by the un human rights council that indeed israel had inflicted war crimes and crimes against humanity in operation cast lead and as for the first first point as he was leaving. called a press conference saying it was not for him to determine what palestine was a state so he was not going to act on the comply that was a real cop out for political reasons because palestine had just been admitted as a member state to unesco which is a un specialized agency in any of their last friday. compos successor plans sudha h

and the will court second telus style and can now read a five the rome statute for the international criminal court and file a complaint against the highest level officials of the israeli government for war crimes crimes against humanity and genocide you saw one of the reactions of israel to the vote in the general assembly was to immediately announce the construction of more settlements are these settlements are war crimes the international court of justice and the rules in the advisory opinion on israel's wall that they break the courts in either convention of one nine hundred forty nine violations of the fortune even convention of one nine hundred forty nine are a war crime the rome statute also specifically makes a war crime the transfer and civilian population into occupied territories by name and in addition when this practice becomes widespread or systematic and in this case it's both it becomes a crime against humanity so tell us stein can also pursue that approach as well and they are considering both these steps in ramallah today president abbas just just for a whole return home from new

not on the basis of palestine becoming a contracting party to the rome statute of the international criminal court which they can also do so they have two different approaches to the iceland city one of which they have already taken ok here and in france as we have and we have a little bit limited time here and i really want to get into a lot but do you think the u.s. is going to block any sort of charges i mean what do you think the u.s. is going to do. well they didn't block us the first time because the united states is not a party to the rome statute to the international criminal court so they they didn't stop was the last time when we filed after operation cast lead and their complaint is is still there and still sitting and now has a friday ms bensouda said she's going to look at it so i don't see how the u.s. or israel can block us that the i.c.c. when they're not parties well what do you just mentioned netanyahu you know continuing with building settlements we saw extremely aggressive rhetoric coming from that yahoo's administration saying that they want to bomb gaza to the middle ages but

officials, their idf soldiers to be actually one day investigated and indicted by the international criminal court, libya, the whole game changed after gadhafi and his son where an arrest warrant by the international criminal court. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >> always appreciate it. >>> now, to the supreme court where high court watchers were eagerly awaiting a decision yesterday on whether the justices would hear a case on the constitution nality of the defensive marriage act as well as california's anti-same-sex proposition 8. as pete williams tells us now, we'll have to wait a little longer. >> craig, it was quite an anti-climax friday. waiting all day expecting we'd hear something from the supreme court on what they would take and an order's list that had just two cases on that had to do with patents and pan patenting n genes. it's impossible to know for sure. quite likely that the justices want more time to discuss these cases. so, they'll reschedule this for perhaps their next closed door conference which is this coming friday. that sometimes happens. the voting rights act case, fo

instruments like certain protocols or the definition of slavery in the statute of the international criminal court and the elements of crime, as well as the inclusion of other things in the international criminal court statute, including explicitly sexual slavery or enforced prostitution, and separately, the elimination of crimes against humanity. that is a trend in the way that international law and international -- are looking at the issue. i cannot disagree -- international regimes are looking at the issue. i cannot disagree. instead, what i will do is talk about why it seems so important for us to define a slavery. i will suggest that in asking what is the definition of slavery we should also be asking ourselves, for what purpose are we trying to define it? why are we so concerned with this definition? to what degree are we to be sensitive to the context? lawyers love nothing more than a debate about definitions. we can argue for days. i would suggest that legal proceedings are not the only realm in which we're talking about. and talk about some of the reasons or context and -- in which we mig

what next people about on his guests discussed of on the international criminal court and whether the parties for the purpose of course talk right off the back to statements. the mighty volga that runs deep through the russian soul has provided inspiration for songs and poems and is the country's main north south artery and decades ago schumann ingenuity connected it to the dawn river to the west the vocal dawn canal is an engineering marvel within a day a vessel can pass the canals thirteen blocks ten million tons of shipping does so every year. another concrete giant is this finished fifty years ago it's the biggest hydroelectric plant in europe it powers the local city of volgograd and sends lots more electricity to moscow the hydroelectric plant behind me is a potent example of how much the volga can provide but harnessing the revelent this isn't without its cost. fishermen have been watching fish stocks for years they see the slow damage the downing of the river has done especially to russia's prized sturgeon the source of caviar and the president of the hydroelectric plant has d

israel or by the palestinians with them being able to theoretically go to the hague or the international criminal court at some point in the future. well i mean so having palestinians having access to international criminal courts worse put forward by my own government u.k. government an obstacle towards peace and now for me i find this utterly shocking the possibility that my government might be saying that having access to justice having access to accountability could somehow be an obstacle to peace what i'd like the u.k. government. european union i'd like them to make clear statements about how whoever the perpetrator is and whoever the victim is there needs to be justice . international mechanisms and now in the latest upsurge in violence in gaza we've seen documented proof that israel launched indiscriminate attacks they failed to distinguish between combatant and civilian in the same way that hamas rocket attacks very clearly are aimed at civilians which is a violation of international humanitarian law in the sense that target civilian or by the indiscriminate nature of their arsenal ok ok forgi

well next to people of ellen his guests to discuss the row the international criminal court. right after the break. the sun rises over what seems like and most forest but here in new directions crime hundred kilometers north of light of all stalk as in much of the world it's disappearing at a catastrophic rate. mortgages both illegal and those finding ways to outsmart the system filing down the forests of the region for them profit goes well beyond the future of our planet and the result could be an ecological crisis the world wildlife fund for nature makes regular trips to help local rangers do what little they can to stop the logging but it's not easy lager set up trucks making them hard to reach in an already rough terrain and have mastered ways to jump through legal loopholes this is a nature reserve were only sanitary logging of disease trees is allowed according to law and not a single berry can be picked but loggers like this use their sanitary logging permit to cut down absolutely healthy trees and sell the profitable timber over the border in china we are on the hunt

the international criminal court but is it delivering impartial justice to the world the court supporters say after a decade in existence it's too early to say its detractors claim the i.c.c. is racist and hypocritical as well as a tool of the great powers. to cross-talk the i.c.c. to.

the convince the security council to bring the crimes to the international criminal court. ne of this happens. this is why the credibility of the international justice system, which supports the international criminal court, as a guardian of the international justice system -- it is at stake. this is why the swiss government -- they come up with an initiative which, until now, 40 countries signed this initiative. they called many members in africa, in europe, in the international community, to support and to call to arms the security council, to refer that crimes happened to the international criminal court. the second issue -- the necessary support to the situation on the ground, according to the syrians. as i said before, the gap from the international community and what is going on the ground -- we have to reconcile the and the syrians -- they do not call for humanitarian assistance. if they allow assad to stay in office, we are dealing with the symptoms, rather than the disease. if we just focus on humanitarian assistance, the next day, we have hundreds and thousands mor

there are some other things that the palestinians are saying they might pursue in the international criminal court, but, of course, the fact that they now have this upgraded status generally gives them a lot more international leverage and the chances for a lot more international pressure on israel. though, as you said in the past, the israelis have been quite staunch at ignoring pressure like that or going against pressure like that and certainly the reaction in the international community is not one that is totally unified. the united states, of course, still very much in israel's corner, although washington itself has also in the past condemned the settlement buildings as being detrimental to the peace process as well. >> britain's foreign office find it deplorable. it's not just that one spot we were talking about there. east jerusalem, palestinians have said that there has been an incremental takeover in many ways of east jerusalem. there is a report today that settlers have moved into a building in a palestinian neighborhood. today what are you hearing about that? >> well, that's what we're

. >> in only its second ever verdict, the international criminal court has acquitted a congolese warlord. he was accused of directing militias to kill and rape during fighting in the democratic republic of congo in 2003. judges ruled there was not enough evidence to link him to the attacks. chad has sent troops into central african republic to help the government put down a rebellion. the rebels and that governments signed a peace deal five years ago, but some breakaway groups are advancing on the capital. the former south african president nelson mandela is to remain in hospital under observation. the 94-year-old was treated for a long infection two weeks ago. he underwent surgery to remove a gallstone. the current south african president, jacob zuma, has won a second term. his new deputy is the former unionist turned business tycoon. >> president jacob zuma's win was expected. so was the political comeback of the business tycoon. the ruling anc has been plagued by infighting. >> by electing jacob zuma, this was not in the form of -- this was rescuing the anc. >> he left politics in the

and international bodies, including the international criminal court where they could possibly bringrges against israel. the united states was one of nine nations that voted against the resolution. >>> in egypt, seven coptic christians and a controversial american pastor have been sentenced to death over an anti-islam film that sparked massive protests in several muslim countries in september. but the sentences can not be carried out since none of the eight lives in egypt. a u.s.-muslim organization urged the court to drop the charges, saying the prophet muhammed taught forgiveness. florida pastor terry jones was among those sentenced for promoting the film. in 2010, jones caused international outrage after he threatened to burn copies of the koran. >>>a neinterfaith center backed and funded by saudi arabia opened in vienna this week. the center is named for saudi king abdullah and is part of an arrangement between austria, saudi arabia and spain, with strong support from the vatican. the center's board includes three christians, three muslims, one jew, a buddhist and a hindu. some h

. >> the former congolese rebel leader has been acquitted of war crimes by the international criminal courtjudges said prosecutors failed to prove that his troops including child soldiers were responsible for the massacre in the northeast of the democratic republic of congo in 2003. rebels in syria report that they have made fresh gains and stormed an army brigade. this comes amidst a warning of fuel shortages that jeopardize the delivery of aid to people in syria. the iraqi president has been taken to hospital and the prime minister's office is calling it strap. egyptian public prosecutors, offering resignation after just weeks on the job. appointed by president mohammad morsi after he awarded himself sweeping new powers. the effort comes after protests from members of the judiciary. still to come on "gmt," downing street was rolling up the red carpet for a special visitor. the queen drop in for a cabinet meeting. now, a play that re-enacted the famous meeting between the head of the imf and dominique -- and a chambermaid is in paris. our correspondent has been to see it. >> all resemblanc

international court. we need him to be tried in front of the international criminal court as a war criminal for the crimes he committed against the syrian people. that is where we send a message to all leaders. we send a message to the international community about the commitment of the syrian people to build a justice system. we do not need it to happen -- many syrians believe he has to be executed. i think assad has to be tried for the crimes he committed against the syrian people. the concern i have of the side effects of the consequences, as the conflict prolongs we will have more side effects. they became the main group fighters. they have been accused by the united states and others as linked to al qaeda. because of lack of assistance and lack of the support, the freedom fighters, they can get, we see the emergence of the other groups. this is why the an action is not an option. -- inaction is not an option. the united states took no action. no action is not an option because of the consequences. if the united states put it as a priority it for the policy in the middle east and cut off the connectio

authority raises the possibility that he is really bitter ship can be dragged before the international criminal court and he for various transgressions not only that but the neighborhood of israel is changing with the rise of the south of the rise of the islamicist so i think israel is playing a very dangerous game in the short term and in the long term the problem is that mr netanyahu does not want a settlement of this question he feels that his regime can continue in a grab a palestinian land and settling palestinian land with jewish settlers and for night into the future however it's well known that israel's main protector in washington is declining in international significance because really authorities would be wise to change their ill advised policy before it's too late. phil is increasingly isolated at the u.n. of its expansion policy the arab spring means it's increasingly isolated in its own neighborhood as well the turmoil has seen and become the target of more attacks militant rocket. well across the border with syria want to slay records there's a storm brewing in the middle east and it'

especially on the expansion of illegal settlements palestinians can now apply to join the international criminal court and other global organizations giving them better bargaining chips in dealing with israel but it came at a price within hours tel aviv announced it was building three thousand more homes in the west bank a sure sign that the situation on the ground won't change overnight does it's not a step forward it's a step aside or even you know a step. back this really a period that the international community gives hand to this violation the u.s. was also quick to cast a cloud over the palestinian party may be unfortunate and counterproductive resolution at the united nations general assembly that just passed today grand pronouncements will soon fade. and the palestinian people will wake up tomorrow and find that little about their lives has changed but washington's unflinching support for tel aviv has separated from some of its longtime allies in the un more and more countries are turning their back on decades of negotiations that have led nowhere what has changed has been the continual failur

heard earlier it will give the palestinians the possibility of going to join either the international criminal court which could allow some level of accountability for israeli war crimes addition. only it means they could have the possibility to join the international court of justice as a member as a state in which case they could do what countries do in the international court of justice all the time bring a lawsuit against another country in this case the state of palestine could sue the state of israel for its illegal occupation. fellow nobel peace prize laureates don't believe the. stand side by side with past winners several previous recipients the man the block is stripped of the award as it as its values don't fit with what alfred nobel had in mind that is ahead for you plus the u.s. close the door to high tech innovators from abroad despite foreigners previously spearheading the country's digital revolution is coming up official. a lovely quiet morning a family gently sleeps in district heights maryland when fifty armed f.b.i. agents storm the house guns drawn despite the family pleading th

heard earlier it will give the palestinians the possibility of going to join either the international criminal court which could allow some level of accountability for israeli war crimes additionally it means they could have the possibility to join the international court of justice as a member. as a state in which case they could do what countries do in the international court of justice all the time bring a lawsuit against another country in this case the state of palestine could sue the state of israel for its illegal occupation. fellow nobel peace prize laureates. to stand side by side with past witness several previous recipients of rock is stripped of the award as the values as its values don't fit with what alfred nobel had in mind that is ahead for you plus the u.s. closed door to high innovators from abroad despite previously spearheading the country's digital revolution this coming up after a short break. it's perched atop a jar and the view from the kremlin stretches as far as the eye can see. for a city that chilled all of siberia for centuries. it lost its economic importance even befor

heard earlier it will give the palestinians the possibility of going to join either the international criminal court which could allow some level of accountability for israeli war crimes additionally it means they could have the possibility to join the international court of justice as a member as a state in which case they could do what countries do in the international court of justice all the time bring a lawsuit against another country in this case the state of palestine could sue the state of israel for its illegal occupation the u. doesn't deserve its nobel peace prize that is according to several former winners who are demanding the block is stripped the award they have written to the foundation saying the e.u. doesn't fit with the prizes values and the committee has lost its found his vision r.t. sarah firth he explains. in that letter they said that the twenty seven nation blocks getting this award contradicts the valley's safety ated with the pricing was a once already happening is the one point seeing million dollar prize money not be awarded this year and they all say said the clearly no

things it gives the palestinians the right if their leadership pursues it to join the international criminal court and at least begin a process of trying to hold israel accountable for these violations so this is very much a political move one that will be condemned perhaps by the security council criticised even by the obama administration but without any serious repercussions for israel which will largely be allowed to get away with it but could it not still lose some sort of support at a very critical time when it's now being surrounded by governments that clearly appearing to be anti israeli and also of course islamic governments it's very neighbors that don't like it i mean this is dangerous is it not for israel to become isolated in this way. israel is already very isolated as you say the changes that have come with the arab spring particularly in egypt have been dramatic in terms of what it means for israel israel can no longer depend on a u.s. backed dictatorship in egypt which will enforce its will enforce israel's will despite the opinion of its population you now have despite the the ex

the international criminal court but is it delivering impartial justice to the world the court supporters say after a decade in existence it's too early to say its detractors claim the i.c.c. is racist and hypocritical as well as a tool of the great powers. to cross-talk the i.c.c. today i'm joined by lawrence douglas in chicopee he is a professor of law jurisprudence and social thought at emerson college in boston we cross to william kaler he is a professor of international relations and history at boston university and in new york we cross to george samuel he is a fellow of the global policy institute of london metropolitan university our gentleman crosstalk rules in effect lawrence if i go to you first is the i.c.c. delivering impartial justice to the world today i don't know if we can necessary say it's it's you know this is a fledgling institution which is still getting at sea legs we know that it's only delivered one.