The UN Security Council will meet on Wednesday evening to consider the decision of the International Court of Justice, which called on Israel on Friday to prevent any possible act of “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, according to what the French presidency of the Council announced.

This meeting, which is being held at the request of Algeria, comes “in order to give binding force to the ruling of the International Court of Justice regarding the temporary measures imposed on the Israeli occupation,” according to the Algerian Foreign Ministry.

The spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Stephane Dujarric, said yesterday, Friday, that the Secretary-General, António Guterres, will immediately refer the notification of the interim measures of the International Court of Justice to the UN Security Council.

Dujarric added in a press conference that Guterres affirms that the decisions of the International Court of Justice are binding, and he is confident that all parties will abide by them in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the system under which the court was established.

He also clarified that the position of the Secretary-General of the United Nations is clear regarding the independence of the International Court of Justice, and he had called for a ceasefire for humanitarian purposes and respect for international humanitarian law. He also called for the release of the hostages.

The International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take measures to prevent genocide in the Gaza Strip and direct incitement to it, and also rejected the Israeli request to dismiss the lawsuit brought by South Africa.

A large majority of members of the court's 17-judge panel voted in favor of taking urgent measures that meet most of what South Africa requested, except for directing an order to stop the war on Gaza.

Right to protection

The court said in the text read by the judges that Israel must take “all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the Genocide Convention.”

The court stated that it recognizes the right of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to be protected from acts of genocide, stressing that the conditions are available to impose temporary measures on Israel.

It added that Israel must commit to avoiding everything related to killing, assault and destruction against the residents of Gaza, and to ensure the immediate provision of urgent humanitarian needs in the Strip.

Also under the ruling, Israel must submit a report to the court within a month on all interim measures.

Source: Agencies