The World Court has ordered Israel to stop acts of genocide in Gaza, including by ground forces, and to allow humanitarian aid to the region.
Here are some important points:
Court recognizes risk of genocide in Gaza
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has not yet ruled on whether Israel committed genocide, but that decision is expected to be decided at a later date, but its preliminary ruling suggests that the judges may not go in either direction. This is the clearest indication yet of how tilted it is.
The 29-page court order released Friday is long, complex and full of legalese, but it suggests that the majority of judges recognize the real danger to Palestinians under the Genocide Convention. .
Paragraph 74 states that there is “a real and imminent risk of irreversible prejudice” to the rights of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip under the Genocide Convention.
Israel's actions and statements are being closely evaluated
In its order, the ICJ said Israel's military operation had caused “many casualties, extensive destruction of housing, displacement of large parts of the population, and widespread damage to civilian infrastructure.” Stated.
Critically, he said he had “taken note” of a number of statements made by senior Israeli officials. They include Defense Minister Yoav Gallant saying Israel is fighting a “human animal” and saying “we will eliminate them all,” and President Isaac Herzog saying, “The ones responsible are… This includes saying, “It's the whole country.”
Paragraph 54 of the Order states that, in light of the above, it is the Court's view that South Africa's argument that protection of Palestinian rights under the Genocide Convention is necessary is “at least partly plausible”. Ta.
It also ordered Israel to “take all possible measures to prevent and punish direct and public incitement to genocide against members of Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip.”
There was no call for a ceasefire.
The court agreed to most of South Africa's demands, including an order for humanitarian access, but specifically rejected a request for an immediate halt to Israeli military operations. The word “ceasefire” does not appear in Friday's court order.
In a partial explanation of its judgment, the court said the measures taken did not have to be “the same as those requested” by South Africa.
The incident will not subside
It could take years for courts to rule on whether Israel committed genocide. Another genocide case filed by Gambia in 2019 at the ICJ against Myanmar over the mass killing and forced displacement of the Rohingya Muslim minority is still ongoing.
However, this does not mean that the incident will subside. As well as the upcoming political battle over how to enforce the court order, the justices have given Israel a report within a month on “all measures taken to bring the order into effect.” I ordered him to do it.
Given that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the court's “willingness” to discuss the case, calling it a “disgrace that will last for generations,” It is unclear how they will respond.
Itamar Ben Gvir, a cabinet minister in Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition government, gave a brief reaction to the ICJ's ruling, tweeting, “The Hague Shmage.”