Indonesia and Slovenia are set to present a new charge against Israel on February 19 at the International Court of Justice in The Hague over Palestinian rights violations.
The two countries will participate in a consultation process on Israel's control and policies over the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This comes later UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2022 It asked the ICJ to issue an advisory opinion on whether Israeli policies against Palestinians violate international law.
„This is a very broad spectrum of alleged violations committed in the region over decades, the terrible consequences of which are still visible today,” said the Slovenian Foreign and European Affairs Minister. Tanja Fajon
At a press conference on Thursday, January 11.
„In light of recent events in Gaza and the West Bank, Slovenia, one of the few EU countries, has decided to actively participate in these proceedings before the International Court of Justice and present its views in an advisory opinion,” he added.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi is gathering input from international legal experts to issue a statement against Israel and his ministry. said.
“Indonesia supports the UN General Assembly's efforts to obtain an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice. International law must be upheld,” Marsudi said ahead of a discussion with international legal experts in Jakarta on Tuesday, January 16.
“The Palestinian people's right to self-determination must be respected. „Israel's occupation of Palestine for more than 70 years will not destroy the Palestinian people's right to freedom,” Marsudi said.
He said that various Israeli policies such as the annexation of Palestinian territories, settlements in the West Bank, and changing the status of the city of Jerusalem are invalid under international law.
„Israel's wrongdoings must stop, and it must be held accountable for its violations of the law. Nations must end support for Israel. The international community, including the UN, should not recognize the legitimacy of Israel's actions.”
„Indonesia's appearance at the International Court of Justice will complement the various diplomatic actions taken by Indonesia in support of Palestine,” Marsudi added.
In a separate case at the ICJ, public hearings were held on Thursday 11 January and Friday 12 January in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
On December 29, 2023, South Africa filed a complaint with the ICJ, alleging that Israel was in violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, signed in 1948 following the massacre during World War II.
Israel launched a series of air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7 that killed 1,200 people.
Since October 7, more than 24,600 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
This post was last edited on January 19, 2024 at 5:08 pm