Afrasianet - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has signed papers to join the International Criminal Court (ICC).

He signed the Rome Statute, the ICC's founding treaty, at a Ramallah meeting.

Membership could see the Palestinians pursue Israel on war crimes charges, and the move was quickly condemned by Israel's prime minister.

It follows the rejection of a UN Security Council resolution demanding an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories by late 2017.

Eight members of the 15-strong Security Council voted for that resolution, while the US and Australia voted against.

The resolution, condemned by Israel as a "gimmick", needed the support of at least nine members in order to pass.

'Disappointed'

The Rome Statue was among some 20 international agreements signed by Mr Abbas at the meeting in Ramallah, in the West Bank. Signing up to the statute is seen as the first move to joining the ICC.

"We want to complain. There's aggression against us, against our land," Mr Abbas was quoted as saying.

"The Security Council disappointed us." Palestinians warm themselves by a fire near the ruins of houses which witnesses said were destroyed by Israeli shelling during the most recent conflict between Israel and Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded quickly, saying Israel would take "steps in response and defend Israel's soldiers".

Israel, which is not a member of the ICC and does not recognise its jurisdiction, says joining the court would expose the Palestinians to prosecution.

"It is the Palestinian Authority - which is in a unity government with Hamas, an avowed terrorist organisation that, like ISIS, perpetrates war crimes - that needs to be concerned about the International Criminal Court in the Hague," Mr Netanyahu said in a statement.

'Counter-productive'

The US state department released a statement condemning was it called "an escalatory step" on the part of the Palestinians, saying negotiations between the two sides were the only "realistic path" towards peace.

"Today's action is entirely counter-productive and does nothing to further the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a sovereign and independent state," it said.

Palestinian chances of joining the ICC were improved in 2012 after the UN General Assembly voted to upgrade their status to that of a "non-member observer state" in November of that year.

Membership is not guaranteed but correspondents say the application is a highly political move that carries great symbolism.