Analysis: The next stop for Palestinians could be global courts | Reuters

Is “lawfare” the game plan for the Palestinians?

The formal recognition of statehood, even without full U.N. membership, could be enough for the Palestinians to achieve membership at the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC), where member states have the power to refer for investigation alleged war crimes or crimes against humanity.

With its upgraded status at the U.N., the Palestinians may now seek to apply to the ICC for membership and authority to file war-crimes charges against the Israeli government and its officials.

That threat of so-called “lawfare” has already prevented some Israeli civilian and military leaders from traveling abroad out of fear they’d be arrested as war criminals.

via Analysis: The next stop for Palestinians could be global courts | Reuters.

The Future of War-Crimes Prosecutions – Rikard Jozwiak – The Atlantic

An update on the International Criminal Tribunal setup for the former Yugoslavia:

The mandate of the ICTY is coming to an end in 2014 and you still have three important ongoing trials. Do you fear that these three trials might be rushed with this deadline in mind?

As a part of the completion strategy put in place by the [UN] Security Council already in 2004, we have to finish and to finalize our remaining trials within a certain time frame — currently at the end of 2014. I think that 2015 is probably more realistic.

Of course there is a form of political pressure behind which is a clear message we are receiving from New York. But I don’t think it will impact on the quality of the work delivered. As far as the prosecution, as far the defense as also the judges [are concerned], I think we are all professionals and we make sure that international standards are maintained.

But of course we cannot endure that the completion strategy has some negative impact. For example, we are downsizing, we are losing staff, so with less staff we have to provide the same work, the same service, and this is of course a heavy burden on our remaining staff.

via The Future of War-Crimes Prosecutions – Rikard Jozwiak – The Atlantic.

Latvian Diplomat Tells Amusing Human Development Index Anecdote On U.N. Tonight! With Ban Ki-Moon | The Onion – Americas Finest News Source

In case Chinese media are reading–this is a satire:

“So there I was talking to this Belgian diplomat about our infant mortality rates, and then I realize I’m standing right next to the El Salvadorian representative, whose country’s human development score is still in the .670s,” said Penke, seated on a couch between Ban’s desk and announcer-sidekick Boutros Boutros-Ghali. “Now, I’m trying to change the subject to something else—anything else—but all I can think of are standard of living and education indices, both of which El Salvador ranks poorly in. It was so embarrassing.”

“I suppose the U.N.’s still at work on getting El Salvador’s life expectancy up, just like it did with Yugoslavia, right Boutros? Oh, wait…” added Penke, delighting the audience as the camera cut to former secretary-general Boutros-Ghali tugging comically at his shirt collar and feigning discomfort.Ban then added to the ribbing by telling Penke that he “probably shouldn’t mention getting things up around [band leader] Kofi,” causing the studio to erupt in laughter.

via Latvian Diplomat Tells Amusing Human Development Index Anecdote On U.N. Tonight! With Ban Ki-Moon | The Onion – Americas Finest News Source.