Saturday, May 18, 2024
Video Infoblog: JUST IN: Elizabeth Warren Presses Austin About Whether Israel Is Working.to Prevent Civilian Harm
2:06
yesterday and uh and again um it it it
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cannot be uh going forward what we've
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seen in the past in terms of the the
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type of activities that we've seen in uh
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in Gaza City and in conun uh far too
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many civilians have have uh have been
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killed as a result of combat operations
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and and they they need to get civilians
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out of out of that battle space around
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Rafa all right so the United States has
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an important responsibility here because
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we are the ones giving the Israeli
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Defense Forces the bombs that they are
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using to destroy homes and hospitals and
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refugee camps at the president's
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direction through his February National
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Security memorandum the Department of
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Defense and the state department are
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currently assessing whether Israel is in
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compliance with International
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humanitarian law there are serious
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concerns that Israel is not complying
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with International humanitarian law
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according to recent investigations by
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plus 972 and the guardian Israeli
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intelligence officials allege that the
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IDF often deliberately prefers to wait
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until its targets are at home among
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their children and neighbors to launch a
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strike secretary Austin I understand
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that civilians are often at risk in a
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time of War but would the United States
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systematically choose to execute on
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Military strikes that are more likely to
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kill civilians including
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children absolutely not just the
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opposite U you know we um routinely go
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out of our way to make sure that uh we
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do everything we can to uh minimize
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civilian casualties uh even with that uh
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even with extraordinary efforts there
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will be um collateral damage and
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casualties from time to time but it's
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it's something that we really work hard
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to uh to prevent yeah thank you Mr
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secretary US policy explicitly states
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that we expect our allies to meet the
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same standards that we do to prevent and
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mitigate civilian harm Israel is failing
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to do that in its bombing campaign under
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your leadership DOD has made significant
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progress in putting policies in place to
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protect
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civilians but we also need to push our
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closest allies to meet the same standard
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and to cut off us support if they refuse
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to do so thank you Mr chairman thank you
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very much senator
English (auto-generated)
MOMENT South African Lawyers Humiliated Israel! Left ICJ Judges Shocked!
Transcript
0:01
in a bold move demonstrating its commitment to justice and human rights South Africa has once again taken a
0:07
strong stand against the Israeli government's military operations in Gaza today the South African government
0:14
fulfilled its promise to push for an end to the ongoing brutal military actions in Rafa a city in the southern Gaza
0:21
Strip South African Representatives delivered compelling arguments that reverberated through the halls of power
0:27
not only in Israel but also in Washington and London their statements cut through the layers of propaganda and
0:33
hypocrisy that often obscure the realities of the Israeli Palestinian conflict this diplomatic offensive
0:40
underscores South Africa's position as a steadfast Ally of the suffering people of Gaza during his speech the South
0:47
African representative criticized the international court for what he described as its reluctance to legally
0:53
address the crimes committed by the Netanyahu Leed regime in Palestine he urged the court to reflect on its own
1:00
standards suggesting that had such a crisis occurred outside the influence of powerful Nations an arrest warrant would
1:07
have already been issued he called on the court to uphold its Mandate of justice and stand as a Beacon of Hope
1:13
for the ordinary Palestinian people enduring the harsh realities of what he described as an apartheid state the
1:21
court must look in the mirror the representative stated if these atrocities were happening elsewhere
1:27
where the court doesn't fear repercussions action would have been Swift it is time for the court to rise
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above its hesitations and fulfill its Justice obligations this powerful appeal raises
1:40
critical questions about the future actions of the international Court will it issue an arrest warrant against those
1:47
violating international law in the Palestinian territories does it possess the courage to challenge its influential
1:54
backers and seek Justice for the long-suffering Palestinian people the International Community now watch is
2:00
closely as the court faces a test of its judicial resilience South Africa's vocal and
2:06
unwavering stance highlights the urgency of the situation and the need for a robust and impartial legal response to
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the ongoing conflict in
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Gaza Mr President distinguished members of the Court it is an honor and privilege for
2:30
me to appear before you on behalf of the Republic of South Africa I wish to thank
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the court for seing this better down for an H hearing on the earliest possible
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date recognizing the extreme agency of its circumstances since its initial
2:48
application South Africa found itself compelled to return to this court both
2:54
in February and March 2024 to request for the indication of additional provisional measures
3:00
to prevent Israel's persistent acts of genocide against the Palestinian people
3:05
in Gaza sadly South Africa is yet again compelled to return to this court in
3:12
recognition of its obligation under the genocide convention due to the continuing annihilation of the
3:19
Palestinian people with over 35,000 now killed and most of Gaza reduced to
3:27
Rubble despite the short notice of this oral hearing South Africa has traveled
3:33
here today to do what it can to ently stop the ongoing genocide the gravity of
3:40
the attacks requiring urgent and Speedy proceedings to preserve the rights of the Palestinian people a commitment
3:48
which South Africa takes seriously Israel is escalating its
3:54
attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and in so doing is willfully breaching The
4:00
Binding orders of this court Israel similarly breaches The Binding resolutions of the United
4:07
Nations security Council erroneously believing from the lack of counter
4:13
measures by the International Community that it is exempt from having to respect
4:18
international law this institutionalized impunity has led Israel to engage in in
4:25
this genocide which has shocked the conscience of humanity
4:30
South Africa is mindful that the present genocide operates in denial of the Palestinian people's inalienable right
4:38
to self-determination and Collective right to return to their homes in Palestine this genocide takes place
4:46
within the context of the ongoing nagba the 76th anniversary of which was
4:52
celebrated yesterday the continued forc displacement of the Palestinian people
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the Erasure of Palestinian presence in Palestine and replacement with Colonial
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settlers a criminal process entrenched and maintained by 76 years of apartate
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and 56 years of illegal belligerent occupation undoubtedly the ongoing
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scenes of Palestinians being forced to repeatedly free for their lives is only
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remiss of the naagar of 1948 it is a continuation of
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it 7 months ago South Africa could not have imagined that Gaza would now be
5:39
mostly wiped off the map it could not foresee that every
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family every neighborhood every class of students every workplace would be pulled
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apart killed mimed displaced malnourished or
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stared South Africa had hoped when we last appeared before this court to hold
6:04
this genocidal process to preserve Palestine and its people instead
6:12
Israel's genocide has continued aace and has just reached a new and horrific
6:20
stage Israel has sought to hide its crimes through the weaponization of
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international humanitarian law it pretends that the civilians it ruthlessly kills
6:33
through its 2,000 bombs through its targeted air strikes through its
6:40
artificial intelligence systems through its executions are human
6:45
Shields this whitewashing of Israel's genocide misses the key and fundamental
6:51
element that of the massive and still mounting evidence of Israel's genocidal
6:58
intent document documents and videos of Israeli
7:03
parliamentarians and military leaders calling for the destruction of the Palestinian people in Gaza incitement by
7:11
Israeli civil society and leading public Israeli figures all collectively
7:17
supporting the genocide and its continuation Israel continues to show
7:23
utter contempt for Palestinian life operating with impunity South Africa has
7:30
no no other option than to once again seek protection in the halls of justice
7:37
for the fundamental right of the Palestinian people to their existence although this Pleasant
7:44
application was triggered by the unfolding horrific situation in
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Rafa Israel's genocidal Onslaught across Gaza has intensified over the the past
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few days also warranting the attention of this court
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with that Mr President I respectably wish to request you to invite Professor
8:07
Von L to set out South Africa's substantive legal arguments I thank
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you I thank the agent of South Africa for a statement I now invite Professor
8:18
Von L to take the floor you have the floor sir thank you
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sir Mr President members of the Court it is a privilege to appear before for you
8:30
and an honor to have been entrusted with the presentation of this part of South Africa's
8:36
submission this is not a routine case it's not even a routine case on the use
8:42
of force or on International humanitarian law South Africa is here because the
8:49
Palestinian people are facing genocide in Gaza and your previous orders have
8:56
not succeeded in protecting them against that
9:01
the Court held in January that the Palestinians have a legal right to protection against
9:07
genocide and that South Africa had shown that there was a real and imminent risk
9:14
to the irreparable violation of that right the court issued an order because
9:20
it considered it necessary to protect the Palestinian people against
9:25
genocide and it issued a further order in March
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but whether because of a lack of clarity as to precisely what the orders require
9:37
or because Israel chooses to ignore them they have not been
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effective the United Nations had a framework including the security Council
9:47
and the general assembly for addressing international disputes but this part has not worked
9:56
well in this case and South afria Amica respectfully asks the court to reassert its
10:03
Authority and its role in this framework South Africa has considered
10:11
the technical legal requirements for provisional measures changing the situation and so on and will address
10:18
them but the essential point is that the court has the power to
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act to ensure that its previous orders and its eventual judgment J M will not be
10:30
worthless and that the Palestinian people will be protected and that it needs to exercise
10:38
that power now Israel's action is directed against
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the Palestinian people throughout Gaza and the West Bank South Africa's request was
10:52
initially focused on Rafa because the imminent Prospect of death and suffering
10:58
on a massive scale s resulting from Israel's attack but since that request was made
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it has become increasingly clear that Israel's actions in Rafa are part of the
11:12
end game in which Gaza is utterly destroyed
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as an area capable of human habitation this is the last step in the
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destruction of Gaza and its Palestinian people it was Rafa that brought South
11:31
Africa to the court but it is all Palestinians as a national ethnical and racial group who
11:39
need the protection from genocide that the court can
11:45
order we've heard expressions of outrage that anyone could accuse Israel of
11:51
acting in this way we've heard assurances that Israel was doing everything in its power to avoid
11:58
civilian death as it exercised its claimed right of
12:03
self-defense we've heard boasts that Israel's Army is the most
12:09
moral Army in history and we've heard denials that
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there is famine in Gaza for months people particularly in the west
12:22
have appeared unwilling to accept that the accusations are true how could
12:27
people who look like us and sound like us possibly engage in anything like
12:36
genocide but the evidence has to be faced my colleagues will take you to
12:42
that evidence including evidence of continued bombings attacks on people in so-called
12:50
safe areas to which they've been directed by Israel attacks on Aid
12:56
convoys and of mass Graves of the horrors of which the corpses
13:02
speak there is no credible argument that this catastrophe is not
13:10
real the court has already found a real and imminent risk of the violation of
13:16
the rights of the Palestinian people to protection against genocide the court is aware of the
13:24
statements of the United Nations Secretary General of the president of the United states of heads of state and
13:31
foreign ministers from around the world and of the heads of international Aid
13:37
agencies they and the personal accounts and the news footage that emerges from
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Gaza tell a consistent story of unimaginable
13:49
horror and it continues as we speak most of Gaza has been
13:56
raised the survivors who are from time to time allowed to return to their homes
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are returning to Rubble with no homes no running water or
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electricity or sewage or other working infrastructure and with the few
14:15
possessions that they've managed to carry with them on carts or cars as they pushed from one so-called safe area to
14:23
the next if the court does not act now the Poss possibility of rebuilding a viable
14:31
Palestinian Society in Gaza will be destroyed at least for the lifetime of
14:39
those who survived the current horrors of
14:44
Gaza the details are not always easy to verify because Israel continues to Bar
14:50
independent investigators and journalists from entering Gaza and over 100 journalists who were
14:57
in Gaza have been been killed since the Israeli attacks
15:03
began but Israel cannot block investigations by independent
15:09
investigators and then say that the court cannot proceed because there is
15:14
insufficient evidence against it the court has to deal with this case
15:19
on the basis of its appraisal of the best evidence available to
15:26
it Israel May again invoke its claimed right of
15:32
self-defense but it does not address three glaringly obvious
15:38
points first the right of self-defense does not
15:43
give a state a license to use unlimited
15:49
violence no right of self-defense can ever extend to a right to inflict
15:55
massive indiscriminate violence and starvation collectively on an entire
16:05
people second nothing not self-defense or
16:10
anything else can ever justify
16:16
genocide the prohibition on genocide is absolute a peremptory Norm of
16:22
international law third the Court ruled in
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2004 that there is no right of self-defense by an occupying State
16:35
against the territory that it occupies the key point today is that
16:42
Israel's declared aim of wiping Gaza from the map is about to be
16:47
realized further evidence of appalling crimes and atrocities is literally being
16:55
destroyed and bulldozed in effect wiping the Slate clean for those who've
17:01
committed these crimes and making a mockery of
17:06
Justice the court is not powerless and South Africa submits with
17:11
respect that it must do something to assert not only its own
17:17
authority but the authority of international law South Africa submits that in order
17:24
to secure the entry and distribution of food and humanitarian supplies and to
17:31
save lives a halt to Israeli military operations across Gaza is
17:39
essential the overwhelming weight of opinion among states and international organizations is the
17:46
same a halt to military operations in Gaza is necessary to comply with the
17:53
previous orders that the court has already imposed
17:59
if Israel continues to deny that its bombing and shelling and Military
18:04
incursions and blocking of roads and entry points and its other military operations in Gaza are preventing the
18:12
Fulfillment of the Court's orders the court needs to spell it out explicitly
18:17
for Israel and for the benefit of any other states that are still providing Aid or
18:24
assistance to Israel in its campaign to eradicate Palestine
18:32
these points will be developed sir by South Africa's Council first John Dugard will explain the jurisdictional and
18:38
other preconditions to the exercise of the Court's power to order provisional
18:44
measures and demonstrate that they are met second Max dupi will set out the
18:50
recent events that have necessitated South Africa's return to the court and
18:56
particularly those concerning Rafa then adila Hass will explain the scale
19:03
and imminence of the risk facing Palestinians in Gaza and after that tbea
19:11
Kut toi will show that Israel's actions have a pattern and an explicit purpose
19:18
that clearly indicates that the aim is to eradicate Palestine and finally L Nei will explain
19:27
the remedies that South Africa seeks the agent will return to read out South
19:33
Africa's prayer for Relief that Mr President members of the
19:39
Court concludes my part of this submission and I thank you for your attention and ask that you now call on
19:46
Professor dugar I thank Professor Von for his statement I now give the floor to
19:54
professor John dugar
20:15
you have your Sir Mr President distinguished members of the Court it is
20:21
a privilege to before you on behalf of the Republic of South Africa in my speech today I will breef
20:28
address the subject of jurisdiction and then examine the circumstances that give rise to our
20:35
request for further provisional measures in his order of 26 January of
20:43
this year the court found that the applicant had private fa to establish
20:48
the existence of a dispute between it and the respondent relating to the
20:54
application of the genocide convention and that the court had jurisdiction in
21:00
terms of article 9 of the genocide convention in this order of 28 March the
21:06
court found that there was no reason to revisit this decision it is submitted that this
21:13
conclusion remains valid for the present proceedings the court also found that
21:20
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have a plausible right to be protected from
21:26
acts of genocide and that South Africa had the right to seek compliance with
21:32
this obligation again the court declared that this finding need not be Revisited in
21:39
its decision of 28 March again it is submitted that this
21:44
conclusion remains valid the court has found that South Africa has advanced a
21:50
plausible genocide claim on 26 January the court found that
21:56
the situation in Gaza was one that required urgent attention and that there was a risk of
22:03
irreparable prejudice this was confirmed in the order of 28 March and it is a situation
22:10
that continues today indeed it is further heightened now
22:17
in the context of Israel's brutal attacks on Rafa and
22:23
subsequent intensified bombing across the North and middle areas of
22:30
Gaza Mr President on the basis of the above findings the court ordered a number of provisional measures on 26
22:38
January on 28th March the court found that the circumstances of the situation
22:43
had changed in terms of article 76 of the rules of Court as a result of the
22:48
risk of famine and ordered three more provisional measures against
22:55
Israel today Mr President South Africa approaches are called for a new provisional measure new provisional
23:03
measures to ensure that the rights in issue in the proceedings including the
23:08
right of Palestinians to protected be protected from acts of genocide will be
23:15
protected the rules of Court allow the court to order new provisional measures
23:20
when new facts are established or there has been some change in the situation
23:27
which just modification of the existing orders it is of course impossible to
23:35
provide an absolute definition of new facts or change in the
23:42
situation as it is necessary to have regard to the situation in each and
23:47
every case decisions of the Court involving provisional measures have dealt with a
23:54
change in the situation arising from new facts in completely different circumstances cases have dealt with
24:01
matters of life and death territorial change and freedom of movement each case
24:08
depends upon its own set of facts and whether these facts have so alter the
24:15
situation that new provisional measures are Justified on the part of court in
24:23
issuing its March order the court considered that developments since
24:28
January 2004 2024 which it found to be exceptionally
24:34
grave constituted a change in the situation within the meaning of article
24:40
76 of the rules of Court it also found that the previous
24:45
provisional measures that it had indicated would not fully address the
24:50
consequences arising from the changes in the situation and
24:56
this led the court to order further provisional
25:01
measures the changes in the situation since March of this year are in many
25:08
ways gra SL they too justify the indication of further provisional
25:16
measures on 26 January this year this court found
25:22
that there was a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip
25:30
which uh was at serious risk of deteriorating further before the court
25:37
renders its final judgment and this warranted provisional
25:42
measures on 28 March the court found that the catastrophic living conditions
25:48
of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have deteriorated further in particular
25:54
in view of the prolonged and widespread deprivation of food and other basic
26:04
necessities Mr President members of the Court it is difficult to imagine that the situation could get worse but
26:13
unfortunately it has in the early days of the Goda War
26:19
Israel forced Palestinians to relocate to the South to the Rafa government 1.5
26:26
million people were crammed into this inhospitable area in the Rafa
26:32
government which appeared to offer safety from Israel's bombing artillery
26:37
fire and the brutality of its forces influenced by genocidal incitement by
26:44
its leaders world leaders warned that an assault on Goda and in particular on
26:51
Rafa resulting in the forced and arbitrary evacuation of the already displaced
26:57
Palestinian to even less hospitable parts of Gaza without adequate Food Water Shelter and
27:04
hospitals would have disastrous consequences the director general of the
27:10
World Health Organization declared that a military incursion into Rafa will
27:16
plunge the crisis into unprecedented levels of humanitarian need a sepire is
27:23
needed for the sake of humanity Israel
27:29
Mr President has not heeded this warning it has not even fulfilled its own
27:35
undertaking not to embark on an assault on guard on Rafa without a proper
27:41
evacuation plan instead it has gone ahead and embarked on an attack on Rafa
27:49
the Rafa government has been bombed subjected to hillery Fire and ground
27:55
incursions the raer Crossing is closed and the Kum Shalom Crossing is mostly
28:05
disabled Mr President my colleagues will provide you with a full account of Israel's genocidal act in the Gaza
28:13
Strip it is my task to briefly indicate the new facts required by article
28:21
753 and the change in the situation required by article 761
28:29
Mr President this application for further provisional measures is prompted by Israel's assault on
28:37
Rafa it is this assault that constitutes the new facts the change in
28:43
circumstances Rafa is the last refuge in Gaza for 1.5 million Palestinians the
28:51
majority of whom have been forcibly displaced from North and Central Gaza
28:59
Rafa is the last viable part of Gaza for habilitation public administration the
29:06
provision of basic services and Medical Care Israel has now commenced its longth
29:14
assault on Rafa it has ordered the evacuation of Palestinians in Rafa to
29:20
the Von sand dunes of almawashi it has closed critical border crossings
29:28
to humanitarian Aid medical supplies goods and fuel upon which the population
29:35
of Raa depends displacement famine and suffering are now the lot of the
29:43
Palestinian group Israel's actions are in violation of fundamental rules of
29:49
humanitarian law but in addition they provide evidence of the
29:54
crime of genocide in terms of Article 2 a b c and d of the genocide
30:02
convention Mr President members of the Court this attack is the final blow that
30:08
is intended to destroy the Palestinian group in Gaza that this is the intention of the
30:15
final operation will be made clear by Mr
30:22
inqui Mr President since South Africa fired the present application for
30:28
provisional measures Israel has intensified its offensive in the north
30:35
and in central Gaza in these circumstances we have requested the court to issue a
30:41
provisional measure that orders Israel to cease its military activities
30:47
throughout Gaza and to withdraw from the territory such an
30:53
order alone can bring an end to Israel's genocide in God
31:00
that the court has the power to order such a provisional measure is clear the court has stated that in terms
31:08
of article 752 of the rules of Court it has the power under its statute when a
31:14
request for provisional measures has been made to indicate provisional measures that are in whole or in part
31:22
other than those requested Mr President members of the
31:28
Court this concludes my speech I thank you for your
31:35
attention I thank professor John Jer for his statement I now give the floor to Professor Max jupy you have the floor
31:42
sir
31:59
Mr President distinguished members of the court it's a privilege to appear before you on behalf of South
32:05
Africa my task is to address this court on the new facts and the grave changes
32:11
in the situation in Rafa that is fast leading to the deadliest phase in this
32:16
ongoing genocide those are the circumstances that compel South Africa to return to
32:22
the court to seek urgent further or modified provisional measures against Israel
32:29
judges of this court have recognized that the underlying reason for the Court's January and March orders was
32:35
that the very right of existence of the Palestinian population in Gaza is currently at risk of irreparable
32:42
prejudice and that the only effective way of preserving the right of existence of the protected group is through the
32:50
function of prevention South Africa seeks these provisional measures before it's too
32:56
late for prevention to be possible let alone effective this court noted that the
33:02
situation in Rafa was already perilous in its decision of 16 February and
33:08
instead of complying with this Court's decisions of January February and March Israel has defied this court by trapping
33:16
besieging and bombarding an overcrowded raer exacerbating the security and the
33:22
safety of a million and a half highly vulnerable Palestinians
33:28
Mr President no one in Gaza is safe because as the United Nations has
33:35
repeatedly made clear nowhere in Gaza is safe Palestinians were instructed by
33:42
Israeli evacuation orders to move South to Rafa and seek Refuge there from the
33:47
bombardment in the north yet for months the expanding population scrambling for
33:54
refuge in Rafa has been explicitly told by Israel that they are not safe and
34:00
that Israel does not intend for them to be safe the International Community has
34:05
witnessed Israeli soldiers preparing for the crowned invasion of Rafa forming
34:10
themselves chanting tear down Rafa and Israel's intention is typified
34:17
by statements such as that of Israel's Minister of Finance Mr smot a member of
34:22
the security cabinet who has explained and I quote there are no half measures
34:27
Rafa D albala nsat total Annihilation
34:33
you shall blot out the remembrance of amalak from under Heaven there's no place under Heaven close
34:40
quote Mr nuk to will deal in careful detail with intention that is so clearly
34:46
evident in such statements and by Israel's conduct now Israel has resolutely
34:51
resisted all International efforts to persuade and cool it from eventually attacking Rafa as we contemplate the
34:59
horror of recent events and the significance of Rafa for Israel's ongoing assault the reminders
35:05
regrettably of Sita come into view Rafa's prominence in the eyes of both
35:10
the Palestinians in Gaza and the International Community lies in it being
35:15
the most visible of the safe areas in Gaza which has received significant attention in the international media to
35:23
paraphrase the international criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia in a decision endorsed by this court Israel's
35:30
spectacular destruction of Rafa despite the assurances of the International Community including this court and in
35:37
the full glare of the international media is intended by Israel to serve as
35:42
a potent example to all Palestinians of their vulnerability and their defenselessness in the face of Israeli
35:49
military forces and to be emblematic of the fate of all Palestinians in Gaza to
35:57
use Mr much's words that there is no place under heaven but they're safe South Africa has made clear in its
36:05
request of 10 May that not only is there nowhere for the 1 and a half million displaced people and others in Rafa to
36:11
safely flee so much of Gaza having been reduced to Rubble but that if Rafa is similarly
36:20
destroyed there will be little left of Gaza or prospects for the survival of Palestinian life in the territory Rafa
36:27
is where gaza's largest still partially functioning hospitals are situated attacks on Rafa's hospitals akin to
36:34
those mounted by Israel against hospitals elsewhere in the trip would therefore deal a fatal blow to gaza's
36:41
already crippled Healthcare System and at the same time as these assaults Aid is being throttled that
36:48
throttling is done defiantly and deliberately this court ordered on 28th
36:54
March that in Conformity with its obligations under the genocide convention and in view of the worsening
37:00
conditions of Life faced by Palestinians in Gaza in particular the spread of famine and
37:06
starvation that Israel was to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure without delay in full cooperation
37:13
with the United Nations the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of
37:19
urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance that included an Express
37:26
order that Israel increased the capacity and number of land Crossing points and maintaining them open for as long as
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necessary and Israel was also ordered to ensure with immediate effect that its
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military does not prevent through any action the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian
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assistance why was that order so critical well because the two border crossings in Rafa which Israel has
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ceased and shut down are the main entry points for life-saving humanitarian Aid and other Goods entering Gaza and for
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the entry and exit of people including humanitarian workers Medics medical
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evacuees and Palestinians trying to flee the conflict Israel's seizure of those
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Crossings places Israel in control of all access to and from Gaza its current closure of The Crossings has served to
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seal Gaza aromatically from the outside world further torpedoing the delivery of
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Aid to and within Gaza and as the primary humanitarian hub for assistance in Gaza if Rafa Falls so too does Gaza
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and deliberately hurting one and a half million Palestinians into Rafa and then carrying out a full-scale bombardment
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while sealing off entry and exit for life-saving Aid to an already devastated population while exposing them to
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faminine human suffering leaves only one inference regrett regrettably and that
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is of genocidal intent I turn now to consider the topic of Rafa as a supposed place of of Refuge
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10 days ago Rafa was described as the last refuge for Palestinians in Gaza it
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was the only remaining area of the strip which had not yet been substantially destroyed by Israeli
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attacks over the past 7 months hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were ordered by Israel to evacuate to Rafa
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for their safety some forcibly being displaced for the ninth time desperate
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terrified and clinging to Life by a thread these Palestinians have sought shelter often in makeshift tents or
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under sheets of scrap plastic in the tiny and densely crowded city of Rafa hoping against hope to stay alive in the
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ongoing Israeli bombardment a city of children Rafa has
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become home to some 600,000 Palestinian children and babies many of them orphaned or disabled by Israel and
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recall that they joined the Staggering reality according to un women that among
39:57
the dead in Gaza are an estimated 6,000 mothers leaving 19,000 children
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orphaned in addition to being the population Center Rafa is the primary
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humanitarian Hub of Gaza as I've said and the only remaining area of the bed strip with the infrastructure and the
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resources to host the over 1 million displaced Palestinians albe it in a situation that has been described by the
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UN as a pressure cooker of Despair but Rafa your excellencies is no
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refuge it's no safe place on 6th May Israeli forces ordered around 100,000
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Palestinians to evacuate the Eastern portion of Rafa many were simply unable to flee children and elderly people are
40:44
so starved that they can barely walk they cannot just relocate to another area to so-call Safe zones it's just not
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possible and even for those who are able to leave there's nowhere left to go yet
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again Israel's use of evacuation orders and designation of humanitarian zones are
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purely performative they endanger rather than protect civilian life so-called
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humanitarian zones are not safe the zones are policed by the same Israeli
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forces who have attacked Palestinians in their homes in makeshift tents in public
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markets schools and playgrounds in agricultural green houses
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while waiting for Aid by Aid dropping from the
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sky while attempting to return to their homes despite waving White flags and
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above all else while Sheltering in and seeking treatment from hospitals Rafa as a place of Refuge or
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safety remains a cruel Distortion for another reason your excellencies for months Israel threatened to invade Rafa
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leading the UN Secretary General to warn that an assault and Raa would be a political Calamity and a humanitarian
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nightmare the relationship between South Africa and Palestine is deeply rooted in
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a shared history of struggle against oppression and colonialism during South Africa's apartheid era the African
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National Congress ANC and the Palestinian Liberation Organization PLO
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found solidarity in their common fight against racial and Colonial subjugation this bond has persisted and
42:27
post-apartheid South Africa has consistently supported Palestinian rights with Nelson Mandela famously
42:34
declaring that South Africans could never be truly free until Palestinians were free this sentiment continues to
42:41
shape South Africa's foreign policy in recent years particularly during the Gaza crisis of October 2023 South Africa
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has demonstrated its unwavering support for the Palestinian people the conflict marked by heightened violence and
42:56
destruction in Gaza prompted South Africa to condemn Israeli military operations and call for immediate
43:02
International intervention through diplomatic channels South Africa has pushed for Resolutions at the United
43:09
Nations and other International bodies emphasizing the need for a just and Lasting solution to the Israeli
43:16
Palestinian conflict additionally South Africa has provided humanitarian assistance to Gaza supporting relief
43:23
efforts with medical supplies food and financial aid South African leaders have been vocal in
43:29
their condemnation of Israeli actions urging International legal institutions
43:35
to take concrete actions against the perpetrators of violence in Palestine the country's Civil Society has also
43:41
mobilized organizing protests and awareness campaigns to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians and pressure
43:49
the International Community to act the enduring relationship between South Africa and Palestine reflects a
43:55
long-standing commitment to justice and human rights as the Gaza crisis unfolded
44:00
South Africa's response highlighted its role as a steadfast Ally of Palestine
44:05
echoing its historical struggles against apartheid and colonialism by leveraging
44:11
diplomatic influence providing humanitarian Aid and advocating for international legal action South Africa
44:18
continues to Champion the cause of the Palestinian
44:26
people for
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