The same court (Inter-American Court of Justice -ICJ-) had issued a ruling in January, regarding South Africa’s accusation that Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, where it stated that this accusation demonstrated the plausible nature of the ” risk” of genocidal acts, while already denouncing “the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Both rulings are supposed to be binding, but in practice Israel may not abide by them.
The judges unanimously said that Palestinians in Gaza faced worsening living conditions and that hunger and starvation were spreading: “The court notes that Palestinians in Gaza no longer only face the risk of famine, but that famine is beginning”.
The ICJ also orders Israel to ensure “that its military does not commit acts that constitute a violation of any of the rights of the Palestinians in Gaza as a protected group under the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide, including by preventing, by any action, the handover of the Urgently needed humanitarian assistance
This ruling is in line with the resolution of the UN Security Council that on Monday, March 25, voted in favor of a “immediate ceasefire” during the Muslim holy month, Ramadan, along with calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza.
The Security Council’s affirmative vote came out because for the first time the United States did not use its right to veto, although it abstained. After almost five months after the attack on the Strip by Israel began (which soon became a true genocide), and after US imperialism vetoed three attempts at a “ceasefire” declaration, , the change of the Biden Government has to do on the one hand with the movement – especially youth – in the United States that emerged in favor of Palestine, against the genocide. A movement that has been denouncing in the streets the unrestricted support for Israel, so much so that they call Biden “genocidal Joe.” Which implies a crisis for the Democratic Party in an election year. On the other hand, the war in Ukraine, which despite all the military aid from NATO – directed above all by the United States – is beginning to make clearer every day the very little probability of a significant advance by the Ukrainians over Russia, leaves Biden with many difficulties in demonstrating leadership in line with a conflict of this type. The arms race of the main European imperialist countries also speaks of this crisis of American hegemony. All this in the midst of strategic competition with China, which strengthened its ties with Russia to create an “anti-Western” bloc.
The stagnation in the growth of the world economy is at the origin of all these crises
These are the main reasons that explain the change in the “diplomacy” of the United States, in the face of an Israel that, with the genocide of the Gazan people and its growing international isolation (for which the enormous European and US mobilizations contribute a lot ), is becoming dysfunctional to their interests.
This ruling by the ICJ – which is still an imperial institution – also has its origins in those reasons. But at the same time it represents another blow for Netanyahu and his far-right coalition.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
