Washington, DC | www.adc.org | January 26, 2024 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) historic decision to grant provisional measures as requested by South Africa in response to Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
This ruling is a crucial, albeit small, step toward justice for Palestinians, who have suffered immensely due to 75 years of Israeli violence, displacement, and apartheid. This landmark ruling follows the rejection of Israel’s bid to dismiss the case, marking a significant stride towards justice and accountability.
The ICJ detailed the alarming genocidal statements made by senior Israeli officials and painted a vivid picture of the dire situation in Gaza. The Court acknowledged a plausible case of genocide against the Palestinian people and announced several provisional measures. These measures call upon Israel to ensure that its military refrains from committing genocide, prevent and punish incitement to commit genocide and guarantee humanitarian aid and access. Effectively, this necessitates a complete cessation of Israel’s military operations.
All states, particularly the United States, bear the responsibility to ensure the implementation of the Court’s provisional measures to prevent genocide and to ensure that they do not become complicit in these acts.
ADC stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people and lauds the efforts of South Africa in bringing this urgent issue to the forefront of international justice. The provisional measures represent a critical step in ending the violence and lay the groundwork for a more thorough examination of the genocide case. ADC remains dedicated to advocating for justice and peace in Palestine and will continue to closely monitor the developments in this case.
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “Today’s ruling is a significant step toward halting the genocide against the Palestinian people. This tragedy could and should have been averted. We now look to the United States and other nations to heed the Court’s directives, change their course of action, and cease any support that may contribute to these grave injustices.”