I suspected this would be the ruling because top of the heap news was some gossip about Russia wanting a ceasefire- from 4 anonymous sources- originating with Reuters as an exclusive. Why? Russia has always been clear they would welcome a ceasefire should the right conditions be set for one. Didn’t seem to be newsworthy at this time. An aha moment struck! ICJ ruling was coming down today and we need a distraction so the inevitably unfavourable ruling against Israel could be downplayed.
Vote of 13 in favour and 2 against
Judges at the top United Nations court ordered Israel to halt its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and withdraw from the enclave, in a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide, citing “immense risk” to the Palestinian population.
Friday’s decision marked the third time this year the 15-judge panel has issued preliminary orders seeking to rein in the death toll and alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza. While orders are legally binding, the court has no police to enforce them.
Reading out a ruling by the International Court of Justice or World Court, the body’s president Nawaf Salam said provisional measures ordered by the court in March did not fully address the situation in the besieged Palestinian enclave now, and conditions had been met for a new emergency order.
Israel must “immediately halt its military offensive, and any other action in the Rafah Governorate, which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part,” Salam said, and called the humanitarian situation in Rafah “disastrous”.
South Africa’s lawyers asked the ICJ in the Hague last week to impose emergency measures, saying Israel’s attacks on Rafah must be stopped to ensure the survival of the Palestinian people.
The ICJ cannot enforce the ruling, but, the ruling casts Israel in a very bad light.