( CNN ) The Palestinian Authority officially became the 123rd member of the International Criminal Court on Wednesday , a step that gives the court jurisdiction over alleged crimes in Palestinian territories . The formal accession was marked with a ceremony at The Hague , in the Netherlands , where the court is based . The Palestinians signed the ICC 's founding Rome Statute in January , when they also accepted its jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed `` in the occupied Palestinian territory , including East Jerusalem , since June 13 , 2014 . '' Later that month , the ICC opened a preliminary examination into the situation in Palestinian territories , paving the way for possible war crimes investigations against Israelis . As members of the court , Palestinians may be subject to counter-charges as well . Israel and the United States , neither of which is an ICC member , opposed the Palestinians ' efforts to join the body . But Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki , speaking at Wednesday 's ceremony , said it was a move toward greater justice . `` As Palestine formally becomes a State Party to the Rome Statute today , the world is also a step closer to ending a long era of impunity and injustice , '' he said , according to an ICC news release . `` Indeed , today brings us closer to our shared goals of justice and peace . '' Judge Kuniko Ozaki , a vice president of the ICC , said acceding to the treaty was just the first step for the Palestinians . `` As the Rome Statute today enters into force for the State of Palestine , Palestine acquires all the rights as well as responsibilities that come with being a State Party to the Statute . These are substantive commitments , which can not be taken lightly , '' she said . Rights group Human Rights Watch welcomed the development . `` Governments seeking to penalize Palestine for joining the ICC should immediately end their pressure , and countries that support universal acceptance of the court 's treaty should speak out to welcome its membership , '' said Balkees Jarrah , international justice counsel for the group . `` What 's objectionable is the attempts to undermine international justice , not Palestine 's decision to join a treaty to which over 100 countries around the world are members . '' In January , when the preliminary ICC examination was opened , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as an outrage , saying the court was overstepping its boundaries . The United States also said it `` strongly '' disagreed with the court 's decision . `` As we have said repeatedly , we do not believe that Palestine is a state and therefore we do not believe that it is eligible to join the ICC , '' the State Department said in a statement . It urged the warring sides to resolve their differences through direct negotiations . `` We will continue to oppose actions against Israel at the ICC as counterproductive to the cause of peace , '' it said . But the ICC begs to differ with the definition of a state for its purposes and refers to the territories as `` Palestine . '' While a preliminary examination is not a formal investigation , it allows the court to review evidence and determine whether to investigate suspects on both sides . Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said her office would `` conduct its analysis in full independence and impartiality . '' The war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza last summer left more than 2,000 people dead . The inquiry will include alleged war crimes committed since June . The International Criminal Court was set up in 2002 to prosecute genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes . CNN 's Vasco Cotovio , Kareem Khadder and Faith Karimi contributed to this report .
turkey gives the ICC jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed in Palestinian territories since last June . Israel and the united States opposed the move , which could open the door to war crimes investigations against civilians .