Hearings begin on Israeli practices
At least 50 countries will present their arguments at International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Public hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Israeli practices in Palestine began on Monday.
The public hearings started following the UN General Assembly’s request for an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
A General Assembly resolution asked the ICJ to determine legal consequences ‘arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination’, and ‘from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures’.
At least 50 countries will present their arguments regarding the legality or otherwise of the Israeli occupation in the Palestinian territories, according to the court.
South Africa brought a genocide case against Israel to the ICJ in late December and asked it to grant emergency measures to end the bloodshed in Gaza.
The court on January 26 ordered Israel to take ‘all measures within its power’ to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza but fell short of ordering a cease-fire.
It is time to end double standards and enforce international laws on all countries. Israel has left Palestinians with only 3 options: displacement, detention, or death RIYAD AL MALIKI
It also ordered Israel to take ‘immediate and effective’ measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip.
‘Illegal’ occupation
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-maliki who addressed the ICJ on Monday, urged the court to terminate the Israeli occupation and deem it ‘illegal’.
“We call upon the International Court of Justice to declare the Israeli occupation illegal and emphasise the necessity of ending it immediately and unconditionally,” Al-maliki said during an in hearing session.
“It is time to end double standards and enforce international laws on all countries without exception,” he said.
Highlighting the stark realities faced by Palestinians, the minister said: “Israel has left Palestinians with only three options: either displacement, detention, or death.”
Al-maliki further said: “Palestine remains the greatest test of the credibility of the international system based on laws, and humanity cannot bear its failure.”
Meanwhile, a group of protesters burned an Israeli flag in front of the ICJ, as the court was in session. One of the
protesters was seen in an Anadolu footage taking down the flag from a car window as the vehicle drove by the protesters. The flag was burned by protesters later on.
Gaza death toll rises to 29,092
The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip since October 7 has risen to 29,092, the Health Ministry in the besieged Palestinian enclave said on Monday. In a statement, the ministry said that 69,028 others were also injured in the ongoing onslaught.
It added that in the past 24
hours, Israeli forces killed 107 people and wounded 145 others.
“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads and rescuers can’t reach them,” it added.
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas in October, in which nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed.
The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85 per cent of the territory’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.