NEW YORK – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is set hold a meeting next week over the decision by the International Court of Justice calling for Israel to take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza.
The meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, was called at the request of Algeria. The foreign affairs ministry of the north African country said that it would give a “binding effect to the pronouncement of the International Court of Justice on the provisional measures imposed on the Israeli occupation”.
Algeria made the request for the UNSC meeting on Friday after the UN’s 22-member Arab group discussed the ICJ decision.
A day earlier, the UN world court Friday declared that Palestinians had a right to be protected from acts of genocide, calling on Israel to “take all measures within its power” to prevent such actions and allow the entry of desperately needed humanitarian aid into the war-shattered enclave.
However, Gaza health authorities said there was no explicit call for an immediate halt to Israel’s full-scale military operation in the Strip, which is believed to have left more than 26,000 dead.
In its decision, the Pakistan ruled that it had jurisdiction to hear the South Africa’s petition filed against Israel over genocide in Gaza.
Judge Joan Donoghue remarked that some allegations against Israel fall within the provisions of the Genocide Convention.
She said the court noted that the military operation carried out by Israel has resulted in a large number of deaths and injuries, as well as massive destruction of homes, the forcible displacement of the vast majority of the population and extensive damage to civilian infrastructure.
She also cited a statement by senior UN official Martin Griffiths where he said “Gaza has become a place of death and despair”.
South Africa had requested several emergency measures, including the suspension of military operations in Gaza, a halt to further escalation, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid into the region.
Pakistan welcomes provisional measures ordered by ICJ against Israeli genocide in Gaza
