Netanyahu defiant after U.N. court ruling; says Israel presses offensive for 'complete victory'

The ICJ ordered Netanyahu to do nothing more complicated or onerous than respect the Geneva Conventions.

That he, and Biden etc refuse to even attempt that shows exactly what the Israeli regime and American government are today in ways that should be obvious to anyone even pretending to be civilized.

And it gives everyone, like Yemen, Lebanon, and Palestine a lot clearer of an international mandate for actions against the Israeli regime and Netanyahu's murderous outlaws than the US ever had for ANYTHING it has done.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, the main organization aiding Gaza’s population amid the humanitarian disaster, saw more countries suspend its funding following allegations that a number of Gaza staff members participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war. Britain, Italy and Finland joined the United States, Australia and Canada in placing aid to UNRWA on hold.

UNRWA did not immediately comment on how operations would be affected by countries suspending funding, or on details of the allegations against its staffers. The agency, which relies almost entirely on countries' contributions, has sheltered hundreds of thousands of people during the war and helped to provide medical care.

is the UN going to hold a full independent inquiry into these serious allegations?

The level itn

RichardPearceToday 05:58 am JST

The ICJ ordered Netanyahu to do nothing more complicated or onerous than respect the Geneva Conventions.

That he, and Biden etc refuse to even attempt that shows exactly what the Israeli regime and American government are today in ways that should be obvious to anyone even pretending to be civilized.

And it gives everyone, like Yemen, Lebanon, and Palestine a lot clearer of an international mandate for actions against the Israeli regime and Netanyahu's murderous outlaws than the US ever had for ANYTHING it has done.

Nope sorry, nothing in the Geneva conventions says you can violate them if your enemy violates them. That applies to terrorist Hamas as much as it does to Israel.

It's an ugly situation where there are few heroes, and victims on both sides. Both Hamas and Netanyahu

have failed as leaders and should abdicate.

Sorry to continue....

The level these so called staffers complicity into the deaths of 1200, Israeli men women children infants and there collaboration into the taking of hostages could have huge consequences to the role the UNRWA essential humanitarian aid programme.

RichardPearceToday 06:12 am JST

The question for the people of Japan is did they learn, from WW2 that allowing their leadership to put them on the wrong side of a battle between violent supremacists and the majority of the world was a losing proposition even when some among the majority weren't much different from the violent supremacists or not?

I agree, the USSR was pretty scummy.

Keep in mind that unlike the US at the end of WW2, China doesn't need an oriental front man, or an African one, an Arab one, a South American one, or even a Caucasian one, it has rising powers that wear all those faces already as allies.

Some allies China has. Cuba and Venezuela in South America? Iran taking pot shots at Chinese ships via their proxies? I think the West is good on the diplomatic front.

Being an 'unsinkable aircraft carrier' has no value in the 21st century.

That's a phrase used to describe many islands, including by a Japanese PM himself:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsinkable_aircraft_carrier

In any event, air power is extremely important in today's conflicts.

The ICJ interim assessment of hostilities, the continued devastation, the link between the release of the hostages and a ceasefire, the need to focus on a clear methodology to implement the courts judgements rulings, conclusions, to limit death and destruction in the military's Gaza offensive is baffling.

Israel is at war, this ruling, in effect a statement of sorts is vague in strength of purpose.

Another fact is a clear understand that Hamas are terrorists, using the Palestinian population as human shields.

Another fact is a clear understand that Hamas are terrorists, using the Palestinian population as human shields.

How's that different from any other belligerent force in any other conflict? Whatever they do or whatever the Israelis do, there is always a danger to innocent civilians. What should they do? Ask Israel if they can do all the fighting in some big open space where there are no civilians around?

And it gives everyone, like Yemen, Lebanon, and Palestine a lot clearer of an international mandate for actions against the Israeli regime and Netanyahu's murderous outlaws than the US ever had for ANYTHING it has done.

It just proves what we already knew - Noone takes these international laws seriously. Doesnt matter whether its territorial disputes, climate accords, or human rights treaties. The global community only exists so the elite can expand their profiteering.

That the conundrum, Simon, perhaps South Africa's motivation to present a case for a ruling of "genocide" to the ICJ was misplaced, the forum best suited to rule is the UN security council.

After all, the ICJ will refer to the UN security council to implement a resolution if IDF/Israeli government fail to respond adequality to the rulings.

Ask Israel if they can do all the fighting in some big open space where there are no civilians around?

This would be an awesome idea for civilians.

Chabbawanga - Having some, imperfect International Law is preferable to having no International Law at all, is it not? We have to keep striving for it, because nothing good comes from a lack of law and order.

Do countries and individuals try and take advantage? Of course they do. Maybe not allowing autocracies on the UNSC would be a good idea.

The 27th, today is

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

https://www.ushmm.org/remember/international-holocaust-remembrance-day

To accuse the people of Israel of "genocide", to do this at the ICJ is contemptable.

The timing is guaranteed to provoke belligerence, to create a distinct prejudice towards the Jew, instead of focussing on a political diplomatic course of action that commits all parties to de-escalation, the middle east tinderbox could have well become more precarious.

Simon FostonToday 07:36 am JST

Another fact is a clear understand that Hamas are terrorists, using the Palestinian population as human shields.

How's that different from any other belligerent force in any other conflict? Whatever they do or whatever the Israelis do, there is always a danger to innocent civilians. What should they do? Ask Israel if they can do all the fighting in some big open space where there are no civilians around?

Nation state armies are required to follow the Geneva Conventions. You may scoff at that, but Hamas doesn't even attempt to follow them. Any resistance movement that goes after civilian targets is going to have no credibility abroad at a minimum (yes, JJE, I see you preparing this for a Ukraine article). Then you have Hamas's stated goal of an Islamic state in which other faiths will be subjugated. No nation state these days is waging holy war except maybe Afghanistan.

The 27th, today is

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

https://www.ushmm.org/remember/international-holocaust-remembrance-day

To accuse the people of Israel of "genocide", to do this at the ICJ is contemptable.

The irony of it, just a day before remembrance day, January 26th those descendant of holocaust survivor received verdict because committing similar act to other group of people. History repeat itself just with different role this time.

From ICJ ruling:

https://www.icj-cij.org/node/203447

https://www.newarab.com/news/icj-rule-israel-gaza-genocide-case-january-26

""Complete Victory "" !??

Israel will NEVER have complete victory or see Peace for as long as it continues to OCCUPY Palestine.

More than 75 years have passed and the Palestinians have NOT Given Up nor Forgotten their HOMELAND of Palestine, so Good Luck.

Hamas may be defeated militarily, so did Fatah, The PLO, the PFLP, the Vietcong, Guevara, and many more before.

Injustice shall and will never prevail, a lesson so many have already and learned and paid it's price, Israel will eventually get there.

The ICJ is a Court ...they do'nt have the capacity to enforce rulings....

The enforcement lies with the UN Security Council ...with veto powers given to permanent members.

Are we clear now ?

Secondly, even Israeli media has disputed claims made about Hamas ""atrocities " on Oct7.

No babies strung up, nor beheaded, nor cut from wombs, nor put in ovens.

Are we clear on this.?

Thirdly, Gazza is one of the most densely populated regions on the planet.

Hamas "embedded "" with civilians is a fact of this.

Israel uses bombing of civilian targets to terrorize the population.

Hamas takes the unexploded bombs, repurposes them, and fires back at Israel.

The ICJ issued a preliminary ruling of possible "genocidal action "" by Israel.

Israel refuses to feel shame and attacks South Africa and the Court.

Those people who argue for human shield, that's just really nonsense. What happened just similar what happened to Bosnia. Collateral perhaps can be accepted during airstrike, but during ground attack and also sniper targeting. They know people that they are targeting are civilian but they slaughter them anyway.

It doesn't matter those civilian inside church and women.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/17/israeli-forces-kill-two-christian-women-in-cold-blood-inside-gaza-church

.

It doesn't matter in Hospital.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-snipers-target-displaced-palestinians-at-hospital-in-gaza/3050112

.

It doesn't matter already rising white flag.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240124-unarmed-palestinian-fatally-shot-by-israeli-sniper-despite-white-flag-in-khan-yunis/

.

It doesn't matter an elderly woman that already following evacuation route.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/13/shot-in-cold-blood-killing-of-elderly-palestinian-woman-sparks-outcry

.

It doesn't matter if it were UN center

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2024/01/360367/un-refugee-center-hit-by-direct-israeli-strike-in-southern-gaza

They can't use human shield argument anymore, it is a genocide need to be stopped as ICJ.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/icj-tells-israel-to-prevent-genocide-in-gaza-rejects-ordering-immediate-ceasefire/

Few countries got their conscience back after ruling,

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/27/australia-urged-to-reconsider-support-for-israel-after-icj-ruling

Geneva convention? That country already long violate human right and Geneva convention before last year October tragedy. For example, if one kid decide to throw settler bulldozer after his family house being demolished, that kid will be taken away indefinitely without any trial.

https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-195827/

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/how-israel-violates-international-law-to-detain-minors-under-military-law-16220205

.

Some fortunate got released:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/in-west-bank-palestinians-rejoice-over-release-of-women-and-minors-from-israeli-prisons

.

Even after got torture.

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/12/12/like-we-were-lesser-humans-gaza-boys-men-recall-israeli-arrests-torture

Netanyahu that rough beast whose time has come, slouching towards Bethlehem.

The destruction of Gaza is no more a "war" with "Hamas" (cough) or Palestinians than was the German destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto a war with Jews. Netanyahu's "complete victory" means the total obliteration of Gaza with the purpose of encouraging a "voluntary emigration" (anywhere but Israel). In fact, the Israelis will "get tired of winning" because the unprecedented scale of their brazen sadistic inhumanity has already lost them the trust of decent people around the world who understand what their eyes, heart and conscience tell them. Hitler's persecution restored people's pride in their Jewish identity while Netanyahu has achieved the opposite among many diaspora Jews who want nothing more to do with Zionism and all its brutal works.

If one actually reads the Geneva Conventions, you'll find that there are 3 sets of rules, a loose set for an occupied people, a set for warring powers, and a set for an occupying power.

The Israeli regime and its supporters somehow invert things to see the strictest rules as applying to Palestinians under Israeli occupation, and the loosest applying to the occupying forces of the Israeli regime.

But as we just saw, the ICJ judges (just like the ICC judges will when the American backed Prosecutor can't block the CRIMINAL cases from reaching court) look at the Geneva Conventions as WRITTEN, as does the vast majority of the world.

Having some, imperfect International Law is preferable to having no International Law at all, is it not? We have to keep striving for it, because nothing good comes from a lack of law and order.

Is it International law, or is it the threat of violence, or the risk of a collapsing domestic economy that keeps nations in check?

UNRWA was involved in the Hamas barbarity that started all this.

The UN is a corrupt joke.

Israel, fight on!

TaiwanIsNotChinaToday  08:39 am JST

Simon FostonToday 07:36 am JST

Nation state armies are required to follow the Geneva Conventions. You may scoff at that, but Hamas doesn't even attempt to follow them.

I don't see much evidence of the Israelis trying very hard either.

Any resistance movement that goes after civilian targets is going to have no credibility abroad at a minimum (yes, JJE, I see you preparing this for a Ukraine article). *

The Israelis might not target civilians but clearly doesn't care if they happen to be in the way, and don't you think they've lost a bit of credibility too? Hamas never had much in the first place, but Israel is always getting praised to the skies - only democracy in the Middle East.... stauch ally of America... blah blah blah.

Then you have Hamas's stated goal of an Islamic state in which other faiths will be subjugated.

Hardly a surprise. Do you know much about what all those hardcore Zionists that support Netanyahu would do if they got the chance?

It has been four months since Israel military offensive. it has been so vegeneful with collective punishment on unarmed civilians. it has lost international standing and reputation.Unarmed Grandma and middle age man waving the white flag has been shot and killed. It is the state sponsored terrorism campaign.

Defensive action is not reckless murdering of unarmed civilians. When US nuked Japan during WWII, it had carefully selected less populated cities without Japanese cultural heritages. Kyoto was strictly protected for preservation of ancient history.

US under President Truman did not have intention for wiping out the Japanese race on Japan. Otherwise, it will nuke Tokyo and Osaka. Using nuke was like the amputation of cancer patient limb for eliminating cancer.

Israel under blood tasty Netanyahu has true intention for wiping out the Palestinians on Gaza and Westbank.

Babylonians committed genocide against Jewish people in the history. In the 21st century, Israel has become another Babylon empire.

Israel's military is under increasing scrutiny now that the top United Nations court has asked Israel for a compliance report in a month.

Israel's self-defense action is the most watched military campaign in the world, even though it represents one of the world's smallest conflicts.

Compare with the war in Syria in which millions have been displaced from their homes, and thousands killed.

Or Yemen, where over 350,000 civilians have been killed; among that number 50,000 children.

But since Israel can't be blamed for those wars, the media isn't interested. And no one here cares.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for civilian casualties,

Hamas committed genocidal acts against Israel on October 7. Hamas shoots Gazan civilians who refuse to stay in the North. Hamas uses children in its forces. Thousands of the Arabs who have been killed are children who are part of Hamas, age 16-17 years old. Finally, Hamas uses civilians as human shields. Civilian casualties are part of war. Of course Israel isn't going to stop their self-defense campaign because Hamas is using civilians as bulletproof vests.

Israel's government is run by criminals guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, in the opinion of many around the world. The military of Israel are accomplices as they carry out the hideous crimes against innocent people, in a futile attempt to get at Hamas fighters, all to cover their true desire to rid Gaza of all Palestinians, and to claim all the territory for an expanded Israel.

The refusal by Israel to allow the creation of a free state of Palestine fuels Hamas and other fighters to deny the right of Israel to exist. This circular conflict will not end even if every current Hamas fighter in Gaza is eliminated. The terror inflicted on 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza over a prolonged period will simply see Hamas recruit tens of thousands of new fighters to battle the occupiers and terrorists of Israel. I am sure the leaders of Israel understand this, and count on it as a means to justify current and future atrocities against Palestinians.

The plight of the Jews has gone full circle it seems. From the helpless victims of Nazi eradication to the perpetrators of helpless Palestinians being murdered and pushed out of Gaza to cleans it for settlers in the years to come. The victim becomes the monster, the circle is completed. And yet many seem unable or unwilling to see the truth of it.

Israel's government is run by criminals guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, in the opinion of many around the world. 

But not where it counts. The UN doesn't believe so. Neither does the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy . . .

The refusal by Israel to allow the creation of a free state of Palestine

This is not the issue, but regardless you are wrong because the Arabs refused the opportunity to have their state in that region.

The victim becomes the monster, the circle is completed.

Pure antisemitic rhetoric.