The Hague: In a historic and timely order, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Friday May 24, 2024 ordered the Israeli Occupation Forces to immediately stop its military offensive in Rafah – part of the Gaza City left the only home for over 1.5 million Palestinians.
“Immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part”, the ICJ order voted 13 to 02 and delivered by its President Nawaf Salam said.
The ICJ order was in response to a petition filed by South Africa and demand from the ICJ to order explicitly the Zionists to stope their brutal military aggression against the Palestinians.
This is the third and strictest order by the ICJ in since January this year against the far right Zionist government in Israel.
SA v Israel at ICJ
South Africa had filed in December 2023 a petition at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel accusing it of committing genocide of the Palestinians and violating Genocide Convention.
Following two days of hearing, the ICJ on January 26, 2024 announced provisional measures, urging Israel to announce immediate ceasefire in Gaza and allowing humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.
South Africa approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) again after Israel ignored the UN court’s order and continued with the massacre and indiscriminate killing of civilians, including women and children.
Following this, the ICJ announced additional measures in March 2024, asking Israel to implement on ground its order announced in January.
The far right government in Israel however ignored the ICJ and now plans to invade Rafah – part of the Gaza Strip where Israeli Occupation Forces themselves had asked the Palestinians to shift after the current war began in October last.
Alarmed by the Israeli plan to attack the only safe zone left for the Palestinians in Gaza, South Africa on May 10, 2024 approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the 3rd time and sought its intervention to stop Israeli plan to ransack Rafah.
During the first day of the two-day hearing at the ICJ based in The Hague Thursday, Adila Hassim, one of the attorneys representing South Africa, asked the ICJ to make explicit what was made implicit in its earlier order.
In its latest order pronounced Friday, the ICJ said the State of Israel must conform with its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and in view of the worsening conditions of life faced by civilians in the Rafah Governorate.
The court emphasised that the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip which, as stated in its order of January 26, 2024, was at serious risk of deteriorating, has deteriorated. It has done so even further since the ICJ adopted its order of March 28, it noted.
The court said that 13 judges ordered the provisional measures indicated in the court’s orders of January 26 and March 28 “be immediately and effectively implemented.”
The UN Court said that Israel should immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah and open the Rafah crossing for unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.
Israel Adamant
The Zionists regime however remains adamant and refused to follow the ICJ order to stop its brutal war against the Palestinians.
Calling the International Court of Justice (ICJ) binding order to stop its assault on Rafah “outrageous, morally repugnant and disgusting”, Israel said accusations that it is committing genocide in Gaza “are false”.
Meanwhile, Israeli tanks and troops are advancing into Rafah’s southeast and are moving towards the city’s densely populated western district.
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