Israel’s ongoing disregard for the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) undermines the integrity of the court and weakens the ability of global governance institutions to address impunity, says Zane Dangor, the Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
Dangor was addressing the Emergency Conference of States, which is aimed at resolving what has been described as the genocide in Gaza. The Emergency Conference, jointly convened by Colombia and South Africa as co-chairs of The Hague Group, seeks to turn international condemnation into coordinated legal and diplomatic action.
The meeting in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, took place one year after the General Assembly passed a resolution affirming the ICJ advisory opinion that deemed Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territories “unlawful.“
“As the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, we are witnessing continued and urgent calls from United Nations (UN) Member States and the international community for a ceasefire in Gaza. For too long, Israel has blatantly ignored orders from the ICJ in violation of international law.
“Despite this, the impunity continues unabated,” Dangor said on Tuesday.
Dangor stressed that Israel continues with its violence against Palestinians, with forced evacuations and targeted attacks on schools and medical facilities being the order of the day.
To stop the bloodshed, the DG called for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations towards a just peace.
“A just peace requires justice, and this requires that international law must be respected.”
Dangor said the international community cannot claim that the importance of international law, including the UN Charter, applies in some circumstances but not in others.
“We should not pick and choose which binding orders of the ICJ to abide by and which to set aside or simply ignore."
Dangor argued that allowing Israel to disregard court decisions and UN resolutions without repercussions undermines the integrity of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as the organisations responsible for its enforcement.
“This is unacceptable, and we should not be complicit in Israel’s endeavours to irreparably harm the institutions that were established to hold all of us accountable to the goals of a more peaceful and just world.”
Israel’s unlawful actions, Dangor said, are enabled when some seek to rationalise their actions.
“The crime of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of apartheid are not complex; they are unlawful.
“It is time to end the institutional impunity that Israel has enjoyed for over five decades.”
Dangor said the carnage seen in Palestine today is a testament to the “folly” of Israel’s grand exceptionalism from accountability to international law and norms.
“As responsible Member States of the United Nations, it is our duty to ensure that the bloodshed and genocide in Gaza are stopped... now as we do not have the luxury of time.
“The government of Israel must immediately halt the forced displacement of civilians in Gaza, which is causing untold suffering and trauma.”
Dangor is of the view that the Israeli government, as the occupying power, must uphold its obligations under international law and guarantee unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance, including healthcare and other essential services in the West Bank and Gaza.
According to the DG, humanitarian support provided by Member States is regularly obstructed and destroyed by Israeli authorities or is being allowed to be destroyed by right-wing and extreme elements.
“We hope that today, we begin a journey wherein states from all regions, including those that were part of the Madrid meeting, join hands to end the ongoing genocide in Palestine and fora more just world.” – SAnews.gov.za
