The International Court Of Justice.*
By Hamde Abu Rahma.
January 25. 2024
The decision of the International Court of Justice regarding the war in Gaza places Israel under international scrutiny and monitoring. The court issued a historic ruling requiring Israel to take measures to prevent direct incitement to genocide and impose international legal obligations. This decision is a genuine and historic milestone as it marks the first time Israel stands accused, with a landmark consensus among judges except for one.
The court’s realistic decision not to pronounce a ceasefire in Gaza is because the responsibility lies with the United Nations Security Council or significant powers, as seen in the case of Kosovo, where NATO intervened and pressured Serbia.
Israel is unlikely to comply with the International Court of Justice’s demands, but it is now under close observation. The international community should unite politically and diplomatically to pressure the United States to influence Israel or halt arms supply, urging a ceasefire in Gaza.
The significance of the International Court of Justice’s decision underscores that Israel has, for the first time in 75 years, lost the immunity granted by the United States and other Western countries under international law.
The court exposed Israeli crimes, explicitly stating that Israel committed them against the Palestinians, urging Israel to refrain from acts leading to genocide and to prevent incitement.
The International Court of Justice’s decision dismantles Israel’s narrative on the war in Gaza, explaining the Israeli solid anger towards the court. While Israel claims self-defense in its war on Gaza, the court argues that Israel has exceeded the concept of self-defense.
Israel attempted to link its war on Gaza to the “Jewish catastrophe,” but the International Court of Justice debunked this narrative, as explained by an expert in Israeli affairs.
*From the page of Sheila MacGregor.
