- [Chris] The impact could be widespread,

as the ruling includes Israelis

who were involved in events

ranging from Israel's 2014 war with Hamas

to Palestinian mass demonstrations

along the Gaza-Israeliborder beginning in 2018.

- That would mean Israelipoliticians, Israeli leaders,

Israeli officials, andmost of all, of course,

Israeli military members,basically for any acts,

which are alleged to be criminal

that have been committed since July, 2014

- [Chris] Israeli primeminister Benjamin Netanyahu

blasted the decision.

- When the ICC investigatesIsrael for fake war crimes,

this is pure antisemitism.

The court establishedto prevent atrocities

like the Nazi Holocaustagainst the Jewish people

is now targeting the onestate of the Jewish people.

First, it outrageously claims

that when Jews live in ourHomeland, this is a war crime.

Second, it claims that whendemocratic Israel defends itself

against terrorists whomurder our children,

rocket our cities, we'recommitting another war crime

- [Chris] Israel saysfor years Hamas has fired

thousands of rocketsindiscriminately into civilian areas

while they respond withtargeted military responses.

Hamas is also open to ICC investigations,

but they applauded the move.

(Hazem speaks in Arabic)

- [Translator] Hamas considersthis an important step

towards justice for our Palestinian people

and prosecute these rally war criminals.

The most important steps remain,taking practical measures

on the ground to hold theIsraeli war criminals accountable

and punish them for their crimes

and everything they have doneagainst our unarmed people.

- [Chris] It could alsomeet Jewish communities

in Israel's biblical heartland,

also known as the West Bank,might be considered illegal

since the ICC calls thisarea occupied territory.

It could put Israeli leadersand possibly civilians

traveling to countries boundby the ICC treaty in danger.

- Because they will beobliged by the treaty

holding the ICC together

to extradite suspectsof the ICC to The Hague

for interrogation, arrest,trial, or whatever it may be.

- [Chris] International lawexpert David Benjamin says

the decision has no basis in law,

and that Israel isn't the only loser.

- This is worrying forinternational law generally,

and it's very worrying, too,

for people and I myself was among them

who actually held out some hope

for the International Criminal Court

as being an important institution

and a relevant institution in the world,

because by making this decision,

which is so obviously political,

it has really condemned itself

to being branded as apolitical organization.

- The two to one decisionis not the final step.

The matter now shifts tothe ICC's chief prosecutor

for a final decision to seeif war crimes will be charged.

Chris Mitchell, CBS News, Jerusalem.