Palestinian envoys speak of court aid, which is used as a “weapon of war” as Israeli foreign ministers condemn their country’s “illegalization.”
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has launched a hearing to measure Israel’s responsibility for the humanitarian crisis that involved Gaza during its war with Hamas.
The hearing, which begins Monday in The Hague and will be held throughout the week, follows a request from the UN General Assembly last year, last year calls on the court to assess Israel’s responsibility to ensure the provision of essential supplies to Gaza.
Since the start of the war 18 months ago, Israel has halted aid, and Palestinians have faced a severe shortage of food, water, fuel and medicine.
Over the next five days, 38 countries, including the US, China, France, Russia and Saudi Arabia, will deal with a panel of 15 judges to consider how Israel’s actions comply with international law.
The Arab League, Islamic Cooperative Organizations and the African Union will also present discussions about Israel’s obligation to ensure aid.
“War Weapons”
Aammahijaj, a top Palestinian official, told the judge that Israel is blocking aid that it uses as “a weapon of war.”
Since March 2, when Israel imposed the longest-secretized on its territory, there has been no food or medical supplies that have reached the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip. Two weeks later, the two-month ceasefire collapsed.
“These are true. Hunger is here. Humanitarian aid is used as a weapon of war,” Hijaji said.
The ICJ is entrusted by the United Nations by providing advisory opinions “with the utmost urgency, based on priorities.”
Although an immediate ruling is not expected, court advisory opinions could form future international legal approaches.
However, it is non-binding. That is, the impact will depend on whether the state chooses to implement or ignore it.
The ruling is “highly likely to be ignored by Israel as was done in other decisions from the ICJ, the International Criminal Court and other international legal bodies,” Al Jazeera’s Lorichalaland reported from The Hague.
However, he added that Israel is “an increasing trend of pressure” as the growing list of international courts opposes its actions.
What the United Nations says is, “Israel basically has two obligations under two international laws here: it has two obligations as a right to occupation of Palestinian territory, accompanied by child education and welfare systems, unestablished hospitals, medical facilities including humanitarian relief operations, and then international law.
“I also have a duty to be a signatorial figure of the UN Charter, as under that, the UN has immunity and exemptions that set it apart from other agencies and other multilateral organizations,” continued Challands.
“Systemic persecution”
The ICJ will take into consideration the positions of both state stakeholders and international organizations in deliberations.
However, we do not hear directly from Israeli representatives. Rather, Tel Aviv has presented written advice and objections.
In a comment to a reporter in Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saa responded to the opening of the hearing by branding “part of Israel’s systematic persecution and violations.”
“It’s not Israel that’s going to be tried. It’s the United Nations and the UNRWA,” he argued, referring to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees that are preventing Israel from delivering aid to Gaza.
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