Particularly considering that the court acknowledged South Africa’s argument that the “tens of thousands” of civilian deaths, the widespread displacement, the devastation of civilian infrastructure, such as schools and medical facilities, and the inability to access basic necessities like food and water, constitute a credible case against Israel under the Genocide Convention.
It also acknowledged the urgent need for provisional orders to ensure that the Palestinians residing in Gaza do not face any more acts that would be classified as genocide under the Convention. Accordingly, the court has issued temporary orders, which will be in effect while the South African government’s genocide claim against Israel is being considered.
Source: X.com
These orders require Israel to take all reasonable steps to stop and punish acts of genocide as well as to guarantee humanitarian aid to Gaza. Although it is obviously necessary for the instructions to be carried out, the court for some reason did not go one step further and order a ceasefire.
The court might be hoping that since the orders are legally binding, Israel will be compelled to declare a ceasefire. The decision has been welcomed in South Africa as a setback for international law. The verdict has been hailed by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, which has stated that the international community must now make sure it is not involved in Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It is another question entirely whether the US, UK, and other European countries—Israel’s principal allies—are willing to stop providing material, diplomatic, and moral backing.
Source: Guardian News
The US has the upper hand, but in this year of presidential elections, can President Joe Biden read Israel the riot act? Israel has also shown that it is willing to challenge the international community. It has previously disregarded ICJ rulings. Apart from consenting to a short-lived six-day ceasefire in November of last year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been adamant about ignoring appeals for a long-term “humanitarian truce” made by most UN members and votes in the General Assembly, as well as the start of diplomatic talks towards ending the conflict.
Biden’s attempt to resurrect the two-state solution to the Palestinian question—which has lay dormant for years due to Israel’s resistance—was met with explicit rejection from Netanyahu earlier this week. Following the announcement of the ICJ’s interim verdict, Netanyahu vowed to keep defending his nation and rejected the implied charge of genocide. He also called on “decent people everywhere” to reject the ruling. A lot of optimism was depending on the ICJ to put a stop to this terrible war. However, this decision brings to mind the classic joke: “Operation successful, but patient dead.”
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