Ramallah, February 9 (RHC)-- The acting president of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has issued a decree for the formation of a new committee to follow through Palestine's bid to prosecute Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Mahmoud Abbas has ordered the formation of the committee, which will be tasked with preparing the legal documents that Palestine needs for presenting to the ICC.

Palestine officially joined ICC last month after its bid to be recognized as a sovereign state was rejected by the United Nations Security Council. Membership on the court enables PA to have Israel prosecuted for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The new committee will include a range of high-profile figures from across the political factions and academic institutions in Palestine and will see senior member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Saeb Erekat, as its head, according to the Palestinian news agency, Wafa.

A preliminary investigation has already been launched in the ICC against Israel for crimes against Palestinians, particularly the latest military offensive on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip last summer. Israel has harshly criticized the move, calling it "scandalous" and "absurd.