The damning language used by the International Court of Justice will be a significant blow to apartheid Israel, but its ruling falls far short of stopping the slaughter in Gaza.
Its admission that South Africa’s claims of genocide are plausible are a direct challenge to the Israeli propaganda machine. The war criminals in the Israeli cabinet can no longer deny they are slaughtering Palestinians with barbaric intent. Nor can their allies in the West continue to give cover or financial aid to such slaughter.
We welcome the ICJ’s order for Israel to admit humanitarian aid to Gaza and its warning that Israel’s occupying army must comply with the genocide convention.
What the people of Gaza need, however, is an immediate ceasefire.
People across the globe will be dismayed that the ICJ did not order a ceasefire in the face of such barbarity. Though this ruling is a symbolic humiliation for Israel, we need to move past symbolism. The firm lack of intervention will be paid for with Palestinian lives.
The pro-Palestine movement should take heart from today’s ruling, which would not have happened without mass public pressure. However, we must redouble our efforts to achieve a ceasefire, an end to apartheid, and for the liberation of Palestine.