Qatar and Saudi Arabia welcomed on Friday a ruling issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, which ordered Israel to prevent genocide acts in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the Qatari Foreign Ministry lauded the UN court’s ruling as a victory for “humanity, the rule of law and international justice,” adding it “serves as a stark acknowledgment of the grave threat of genocide looming over the Palestinian population in Gaza.”
It also reiterated Qatar’s firm support for the justice of the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including “the establishment of their independent state on the 1967 border and with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
In the meantime, the Saudi Foreign Ministry reaffirmed in a statement the rejection of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and its violations of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
It called on the international community to take measures to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, protect Palestinian civilians, and hold Israel accountable for violations of international law.
Also on Friday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh expressed hope that the ICJ’s final decision against Israel would include an immediate ceasefire, given the severe suffering of Gaza residents.
Shtayyeh also called for exerting pressure on Israel to halt its acts of aggression and facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid into the strip.
The ICJ in The Hague on Friday delivered a ruling on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, ordering Israel to take all possible measures to prevent genocide acts in Gaza and demanding Israel to report on the measures regarding the order within one month.
The court, however, did not order Israel to suspend its military operations in Gaza, one of the main requests submitted by South Africa, while also calling on Hamas to release all Israeli hostages.
South Africa filed the lawsuit against Israel to the ICJ on Dec. 29, 2023, accusing Israel of violating the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide related to Palestinians in Gaza. ■
