On Friday, the International Court of Justice, ICJ, gave a temporary ruling in the legal process in which South Africa accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The court ruled that Israel must take all measures to prevent genocide, improve the humanitarian situation and ensure that its forces do not commit violations of international law. Israel must report to the court within one month on what it is doing to enforce this.
The court also demands that Hamas release the hostages.
Israel is obliged under international law to follow the calls that the court has now announced, says Pål Wrange.
- Then whether Israel will do it or not is of course another matter.
He adds that much of what the court has now decided are also things that Israel itself says it does.
- Although probably neither the court nor many others who look at this conflict think that Israel fulfills it.
The process may last this year
Now the legal process on the genocide charges will continue in the International Court of Justice.
- It will be a process that lasts for a couple of years and then the court will come to a decision on whether Israel has violated the Genocide Convention by committing genocide or in some other way, says Pål Wrange.
Israel must also submit a report within one month detailing what it has done to uphold the requirements of the ICJ.
- We'll see if Israel sends in a report and, if so, what it says.