Israeli officials anticipate that the International Court of Justice in The Hague will issue orders on Friday to halt the ongoing military conflict with Palestinian militants in Gaza, according to a senior diplomatic source.
An Israeli diplomatic source told Israel Hayom that legal experts assessed there was a high probability the court would rule to issue injunctions following a petition filed by South Africa against Israel’s military actions.
The two potential scenarios, the source said, were that the court could order a cessation of Israeli operations in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, or further, that it could seek to halt the broader war in Gaza entirely through court injunctions.
Orders to halt the war represent the most severe scenario from Israel’s perspective, as they could significantly impede Israel’s ability to continue its military mission in Gaza. This despite Israel repeatedly emphasizing it is not bound by the court’s rulings.
Another significant concern is that injunctions from The Hague could precipitate a similar resolution by the U.N. Security Council, where Israel would again require the United States to veto it.
The International Court of Justice, which is hearing the case against Israel brought by South Africa, is separate from the International Criminal Court. On Monday, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he was seeking arrest warrants from the court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes.
The International Court of Justice says it will issue a ruling on South Africa’s request to order a halt to the Rafah offensive on Friday at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. in Israel).
Unlike the ICC, the ICJ cannot issue arrest warrants.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
