LONDON. The British government has expressed strong criticism of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after it ordered Israel to immediately halt its military assault on Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. The UK claims the ruling will bolster the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
The ICJ, the United Nations’ highest court for resolving disputes between states, issued the emergency ruling on Friday in response to a case brought by South Africa, which accused Israel of genocide.
“The reason there isn’t a pause in the fighting is because Hamas turned down a very generous hostage deal from Israel. The intervention of these courts – including the ICJ today – will strengthen the view of Hamas that they can hold on to hostages and stay in Gaza,” a UK foreign ministry spokesperson said late on Friday. “And if that happens, there won’t be either peace or a two-state solution.”
The ICJ’s orders are not enforceable, but the ruling underscores Israel’s increasing international isolation over its military operations in Gaza, which began after the October 7 Hamas attacks on southern Israel.
This controversial decision by the World Court adds a new dimension to the ongoing conflict, reflecting the complex interplay of international law and geopolitics in the Middle East.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
