A chorus of international voices has risen, urging Israel to adhere to the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling and immediately halt its military operations in the southern Gaza City of Rafah.
The ICJ, in a landmark decision, urged Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in the southern Gazan city of Rafah.
Spain: Violence Must End
Spain’s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, warned Israel on Saturday that it must comply with the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling requiring an immediate halt to its military offensive in Rafah.
“The ICJ’s provisional measures, including the cessation of Israel’s offensive in Rafah, are mandatory,” Albares stated in a post on X. “We demand its implementation.”
In his statement, Albares also called for a ceasefire and the access of humanitarian aid to Gaza. “The suffering of the people of Gaza and the violence must end,” he concluded.
These remarks come amid escalating tensions between Spain and Israel. The strain in bilateral relations intensified this week when Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, announced plans to formally recognize Palestinian statehood in the coming days.
In response, the Israeli government recalled its ambassadors from these nations and summoned the ambassadors from Spain, Ireland, and Norway to Israel.
During their summoning, Israeli authorities filmed the diplomats being forced to watch violent footage of the October 7 attacks, and later broadcast the video.
On Friday, Albares condemned Israel’s actions, noting that the governments of Ireland and Norway shared Spain’s sentiment.
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Additionally, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced on Friday that, in response to Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister Yoland Diaz using the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” he would “sever the connection between Spain’s representation in Israel and the Palestinians, and prohibit the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem from providing services to Palestinians from the West Bank.”
Albares expressed uncertainty about how Israel could block Spain’s diplomatic services to Palestinians and indicated that the situation needed further analysis.
However, he affirmed that if Katz’s statement was to be taken at face value, Spain would take diplomatic action in response.
Australia: Comply with Intl. Law
A senior Australian minister has called on Israel to “abide by” the ICJ’s order to halt its military assault on the southern Gaza Strip.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen stated that Australia’s position on Rafah is “crystal clear,” describing the situation as a “humanitarian disaster” with the potential to worsen, according to local broadcaster SBS News on Saturday.
“Australia believes international law should be complied with, Australia believes the binding rulings should be complied with, and we believe Rafah should not be invaded by Israel,” Bowen added.
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Ireland: ‘Utmost Urgency’
The Irish foreign minister welcomed the ICJ’s ruling on Friday that ordered Israel to immediately halt its offensive in Rafah, open the Rafah crossing, and allow access to international fact-finding missions.
In a statement, Micheal Martin emphasized that the Court’s orders are “crystal clear” and “must be complied with.”
Martin pointed out that the international community has urged Israel not to initiate a ground offensive in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, but Israel has chosen to “disregard these requests.”
“However, it cannot choose to disregard the orders from the International Court of Justice,” Martin stated, adding that the orders are legally binding.
“It is my heartfelt hope that we are reaching a turning point in this devastating conflict,” he said.
Martin called on all parties to intensify efforts to secure an immediate cease-fire, the unconditional release of hostages, and the rapid scaling up of humanitarian aid distribution “with the utmost urgency.”
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Gaza Genocide
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 35,857 Palestinians have been killed, and 80,293 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Moreover, at least 7,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
(PC, Anadolu)
