Nearly two dozen charities, including, Oxfam and Medical Aid for Palestinians, welcome the International Court of Justice’s Friday ruling that orders Israel to halt its military offensive in Rafah.
The ICJ made the ruling after previously ordering other measures in January and March. These measures are interim as the UN’s top court hears South Africa’s case accusing Israel of engaging in “genocidal acts” in Gaza.
“The UK must now do everything in its power to ensure that Israel complies with its obligations under international law, including in respect of all of the measures ordered by the ICJ,” the 22 charities say in a statement.
“The Israeli government has already failed to comply with the ICJ’s orders, and the UK must urgently use every available lever to ensure its compliance, urgently halt Israel’s assault on Rafah, and demand an immediate and lasting ceasefire.
“This includes suspending arms transfers to Israel for as long as there is a risk they may be used to violate international law.
“The UK must uphold its signatory obligations under the convention to prevent and punish the crime of genocide, and must ensure that it is in no way enabling, or otherwise complicit, in the commission of acts that the Court has found could plausibly be in violation of the Genocide Convention.”
The full list of charities that signed the statement are: Action for Humanity, Action Aid UK, Amos Trust, Caabu (Council for Arab-British Understanding), CAFOD, Christian Aid, Embrace the Middle East, Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS), Humanity First UK, Interpal, Lady Fatemah Charitable Trust, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights, Oxfam, Omega Research Foundation, Plan International UK, Protection Approaches, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), Quakers in Britain, SCIAF, SOS Children’s Villages UK, Welfare Association, and War on Want.
