Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets of Melbourne and Sydney over the weekend.
The demonstrations condemned Israel’s war in Gaza and demanded that the Albanian government take more steps to sever ties with Netanyahu’s government.
Sunday’s demonstrations cap a week of diplomatic blows for the Jewish state, after the United Nations’ two highest courts issued separate rebukes, warning of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
On Friday, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to stop any action inside Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, “that may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza living conditions that could lead to its total or partial physical destruction.”
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have taken to the streets of Melbourne and Sydney, condemning Israel’s war in Gaza and demanding that the Albanian government take more steps to sever ties with Netanyahu’s government (pictured).
Sunday’s demonstrations cap a week of diplomatic blows for the Jewish state, after the United Nations’ two highest courts issued separate rebukes, warning of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
While the ICJ ruling takes its wording from the UN convention on genocide, it does not order Israel to stop all military operations in Rafah.
Rather, it is limited to those military actions that would result in the total or partial destruction of the town of Rafah, where thousands of civilians and units of Hamas militants remain.
The order passed by the ICJ is binding; However, the court has no means to enforce its ruling and there is no possibility of Israel complying.
As Israel has expanded its military attack on Rafah in recent weeks in an attempt to root out the last Hamas militants sheltering in the city, more than 800,000 Palestinians have fled the city, deepening the humanitarian crisis inside Gaza.
In response to the ICJ ruling, Executive Council of Australian Jews co-chief executive Peter Wertheim argued that Israel had taken more precautions than any other country in conflict to prevent harm to civilians.
‘There is no kind way to deal with Hamas butchers and rapists. Their ability to murder and cause chaos needs to be destroyed root and branch,” Mr Wertheim said.
“No democratic country faced with similar circumstances would withdraw its power from terrorists, or should ask Israel to do so.”
But Australian Palestine Action Network president Nasser Mashni said continued Israeli military operations required the Australian government to take further action, including sanctions, ending arms export permits and cutting diplomatic relations with Israel. .
“The ICJ cannot enforce these judgments – that is the job of the international community, including the Australian government,” Mr Mashni said.
“The Australian Government must stop hiding behind diplomatic niceties and preaching about human rights and instead take meaningful action to put pressure on this rogue state to force it to end its atrocities.”
In the photo: Protesters carry a sign that says “Jews in solidarity: Palestine will be free.”
Federal cabinet minister Chris Bowen said the Australian government supported the ICJ ruling.
“Rafah has been the closest thing we have to a shelter for people escaping inside Gaza,” he said.
‘We have been very consistent that Rafah should not be attacked.
“We are very consistent that all parties, including Israel, must respect the binding rulings of the ICJ.”
The ruling is separate from a request filed Monday by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court seeking arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with senior Hamas figures.
The ICC has yet to rule on the applications and a decision could take several months.
The ICJ, based in the Dutch city of The Hague, resolves disputes between states, in this case between Israel and South Africa, the latter of which has asked the court on four separate occasions to prevent the former from continuing its military offensive. . in Gaza.
The ICJ’s determination follows the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel that left 1,200 dead, most of them civilians, and the listed terrorist organization took another 250 hostages.
In response, Israel has launched a military offensive inside the enclave to eradicate Hamas, resulting in the deaths of more than 35,000 people, most of whom are civilians, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Approximately 121 hostages, living and dead, remain in the enclave.