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South Africa has welcomed a ruling by the International Court of Justice that Israel immediately halt its military offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, calling it a “landmark” decision.
Friday ruling South Africa then requested more temporary measures against Israel, including halting the offensive in Rafah, withdrawing its troops, and ensuring unhindered humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
“This order is groundbreaking because it is the first time that Israel has been explicitly asked to stop its military operations in any part of Gaza, in this case specifically in Rafah,” said Zain Dangar, director general of Israel’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
“While legally the court cannot use the word ceasefire and we cannot call for a ceasefire, in fact it is calling for a ceasefire. It orders the main party to this conflict to cease its hostilities against the Palestinian people. It is a groundbreaking decision of the court,” Dangol said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also welcomed the ruling, saying: “We are seriously concerned that Israel is restricting the necessary amount of aid from entering Gaza and systematically targeting aid and aid infrastructure in Gaza.”
“The focus of this case is therefore on ordinary Palestinians in Gaza who are facing seven months of collective punishment for which they are not personally responsible.”
“South Africa remains concerned that the UN Security Council has so far failed to prevent human suffering,” he stressed.
ICJ orders immediate halt to Israeli military operations in Rafah – Breaking News
Further orders
Judges of the World Court also rule The Rafah crossing remains open “to allow for the unhindered delivery of a vast array of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance,” and Israel is required to take “effective measures to ensure unhindered access to the Gaza Strip for any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission or other investigative body mandated by the competent United Nations organs to investigate allegations of genocide.”
Israel was also required to submit a report to the court within one month “from the date of the order” describing all measures taken to implement the ruling.
In its order, the court stressed that “the disastrous humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is at serious risk of deteriorating, as it had already deteriorated, as stated in the Court’s Order of 26 January 2024, and has further deteriorated since the Court’s Order of 28 March 2024.”
The court said that Israel’s military ground offensive launched in Rafah on May 7, 2024 “is still ongoing and new evacuation orders have been issued.” “According to the United Nations, as of May 18, 2024, nearly 800,000 people have been displaced from Rafah.”
The court also held that “the interim measures indicated in the order of March 28, 2024 and the measures reaffirmed therein do not fully address the consequences arising from the change in the situation, which justifies their modification.”
WATCH | Mr Zane Dangor, Director General for International Relations and Cooperation, speaks on South Africa’s response to the ICJ ruling today. 24 May 2024. #StopGenocideNow #Gaza pic.twitter.com/UFXfB4Sorq
— DIRCO South Africa (@DIRCO_ZA) May 24, 2024
Here are some more reactions:
Hamas
The Palestinian resistance movement said it “welcomed” the ICJ’s ruling, but added that “we had expected the ICJ to rule to stop the aggression and genocide against our people throughout the Gaza Strip, not just in Rafah.”
“What is happening in Jabaliya and other governorates of the Gaza Strip is no less criminal and dangerous than what is happening in Rafah,” the movement said in a statement.
Hamas called on the international community and the United Nations to put pressure on Israel “to immediately implement this decision and to seriously and sincerely implement all UN resolutions to force the Zionist occupation forces to stop the genocide they have been carrying out against our people for more than seven months.”
The movement reiterated that the international community and all relevant UN bodies, especially the UN Security Council, “are concerned and obliged not to allow this fascist entity to continue to disregard all international laws and conventions and to evade responsibility and punishment.”
“They all face a historical responsibility to realize the principles of international justice and to commit themselves to supporting the rights of our people to freedom and self-determination and the establishment of a Palestinian State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” the statement stressed.
European Union
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell reportedly said: “How will the EU respond to today’s ruling by the International Court of Justice? What position will we take? We must choose between supporting international rule of law institutions and supporting Israel.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
According to Reuters, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a joint statement saying: “The accusation of ‘genocide’ brought by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague is false, outrageous and disgusting. Israel has not and will not conduct military operations in the Rafah area to create living conditions that could lead to the total or partial extermination of the Palestinian civilian population.”
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid
“It is a moral collapse and a moral disaster that the Hague Court did not link the Rafah truce, the hostage repatriation and Israel’s right to resist terrorism in its ruling,” Lapid said, according to Reuters.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich
Smotrich explain About X: “Those who are asking the State of Israel to stop the war are asking the State of Israel to declare itself no longer in existence. We will not agree to this.”
He added: “We will continue to fight for ourselves and the entire free world. History will judge who sided with the Nazis of Hamas and ISIS today.”
The State of Israel is fighting for its survival.
During a sad period in history, we were unable to stand on our own feet. Today, the Jewish people have independence and the ability to protect their lives.
Those who demand that the State of Israel stop the war are demanding that Israel cease to exist. We will not agree to this.
If we lay down our weapons, the enemy will reach the bedsides of our children and wives….
— Bezalel Smotrich (@bezalelsm) May 24, 2024
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir
After the verdict, Ben-Gvir lead Former Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion said: “Our future does not depend on what the Gentiles say, but on what the Jews do.”
Egypt
In a statement, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry reportedly called on Israel to “comply with its obligations within the framework of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and international humanitarian law, and implement all provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice. These measures are issued by the highest international judicial body and are legally binding and enforceable.”
“Our future does not depend on what the Gentiles say, but on what the Jews do” pic.twitter.com/yuCs0qlw6K
— Itamar Ben Gvir (@itamarbengvir) May 24, 2024
Norway
“I hope Israel will implement the measures that have been ordered,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide said, according to Reuters. “Respect for the court and its functions, including the power to order provisional measures, is essential to strengthen international law and the international legal order.”
Belgium
Belgian Foreign Minister Haja Lahebib said on the 10th: “The International Court of Justice ordered Israel to stop its military offensive against Rafah. (Belgium) calls for the immediate implementation of the decision. The violence and human suffering in Gaza must stop. We call for a ceasefire, the release of hostages and two-state negotiations.”
Oxfam International
“Oxfam welcomes the ICJ’s order as an important intervention to halt Israel’s military assault on Rafah, which has displaced more than 800,000 people, and as an affirmation of the Palestinian people’s right to exist.” explain In a statement.
“The Israeli government must immediately comply with the court’s ruling and cease its brutal offensive against Rafah and other parts of Gaza. It must also release its control over the aid pipeline to allow 4,500 trucks in El-Arish to deliver much-needed food, water and medicine.
“All nations have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that Israel complies with this order and protects the hundreds of thousands of people who have taken refuge in Rafah.
“Countries that supplied Israel with weapons for this offensive are now ignoring the ICJ’s ruling and are complicit in any war crimes committed in Gaza. They must immediately stop supplying weapons and instead step up their efforts to demand an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to prevent further bloodshed and ensure the safe return of all hostages and illegally detained Palestinians.”
(Palestine Chronicle)
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