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RAMALLAH — A senior Palestinian official yesterday said that the Palestinian leadership’s decision to join the International Criminal Court is irreversible.

“All powers on earth will never bring the clock back,” chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told “Voice of Palestine” Radio, adding that the Palestinian leadership is heading towards becoming a member in the ICC.

Erekat accused the Israeli government of ignoring all international laws and conventions, adding that “Israel counts on the logic of arrogance of power and the protection of the American congress.”

The veteran politician warned that if Israel keeps its policy of settlement’s expansion and withholding the Palestinian tax revenue dues, “we will seriously reconsider our political and security ties with Israel.”

Meanwhile, Erekat said that the central council of the Palestine Liberation Organisation “is scheduled to convene by the end of February to discuss the future of the ties with Israel.”

“The Palestinian National Authority was established in order to take the Palestinian people from the status of being under the occupation to the status of having independence and having a state,” said Erekat.

After receiving the Palestinian request to join the ICC, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced that the state of Palestine will become a member of the ICC by April 1.

However, the United States considered the Palestinian move as “an unconstructive way to go ahead in the Middle East peace process.” — Xinhua.