Eduardo González
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, announced yesterday that Spain is going to join the procedure of the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) opened by South Africa to end the military operation in the Gaza Strip.
This step “has been under consideration for many weeks” and “other countries have already joined and others have announced it,” among them, within Europe, Ireland and Belgium. The objective of this measure, he assured, is “for peace to return to Gaza and the Middle East” by supporting the court in the application of precautionary measures “which are mandatory.”
The International Court of Justice, the main judicial body of the UN, has asked the Israeli authorities to adopt “all possible measures” to protect the Palestinian civilian population of the Gaza Strip and to “urgently” guarantee the arrival of humanitarian aid to the region.
According to Judge Joan E. Donoghue, the accusations brought against Israel fall within the scope of the Genocide Convention and, therefore, Palestinians are entitled to protection as a group. Furthermore, the judge has determined that the ICJ has jurisdiction over this case, which upholds South Africa’s right to sue Israel for alleged violation of the Convention and allows the litigation to move forward.
Despite this, Albares did not want to “pronounce the crime itself.” “As to whether this is genocide, that is the court’s job,” he added. He also did not want to offer his opinion on this issue because “it is not up to a minister” to rule on whether or not he is dealing with genocide.
Subsequently, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech at the Assembly of the Spanish Business Confederation of the Social Economy, justified the decision adopted by Tel Aviv’s refusal to stop the war and with the aim of stopping military operations. in the Middle East.
“Given the failure of the Netanyahu government to comply with the request of the International Court of Justice to stop the war and in support of United Nations international law,” Sánchez explained, “we intervene in the procedure initiated by the country of South Africa, because it is urgent. “That we all support the Court so that the precautionary measures are carried out to stop any military operation.”There is no doubt that Spain will remain on the right side of history,” he added.
Díaz celebrates the decision
The second vice president of the Government and leader of Sumar, Yolanda Díaz, celebrated the decision of the Executive, through a message from her on her account on her social network X, in which she wrote: “We have achieved it.” . And she added: “Taking steps to stop genocide and inspiring more and more countries to follow this path.”
Díaz accompanied her message with an image in which she hugs the South African ambassador to Spain, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele, during a Sumar event last January, in which she said that his party was going to fight for the government will support the lawsuit that this country filed against Israel.
In other messages, the vice president of the Government, after stating that “Netanyahu’s genocide has crossed all unimaginable borders”, pointed out that after the recognition of the Palestinian State, Spain must “immediately withdraw the ambassador” in Israel.
After Albares’ appearance, the former minister and leader of Podemos, Ione Belarra, reproached the Foreign Minister for having “spoiled a good gesture,” saying that it is not his place to say whether what is happening in Gaza is a genocide or not. . In her account on the social network X she insisted that the Government must break relations with Israel and decree an embargo on the sale of arms with that country.
In subsequent statements to La Sexta, Albares responded to these demands from Sumar and Podemos that withdrawing the ambassador in Tel Aviv would be an “effective” measure, but that he does not believe that this would help “to bring peace or that the rulings of the International Court of Justice, which has already pronounced, be applied”.
Hamas applause
The terrorist group Hamas expressed its satisfaction in a statement in which, while encouraging other countries to follow Spain’s example, it said: “We consider that this announcement, in addition to the adhesion of many other countries to the demand, will strengthen the international justice in its prosecution of the occupying entity”. Furthermore, he accused Israel of committing “the most horrendous crimes of genocide” and crimes against humanity.
For his part, the Palestinian ambassador in Madrid, Husni Abdel Wahed, thanked Spain for acting “in a manner consistent with its principles, with its values, which are the supposed principles and values of all humanity”, by joining the procedure. of the ICJ
In statements to the media in Alicante, where he was participating in the International Hispano-Arabic Mediterranean Festival, Husni Abdel Wahed expressed his wish that “others join in” and added: “This is not against anyone, but in favor of the humanity, justice, peace and stability of the world.
Declaration of 17 leaders
Meanwhile, yesterday a joint statement signed by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, the head of the Spanish Executive, Pedro Sánchez, and fifteen heads of State and Government, was released, in which they call on the terrorist group Hamas to accept the truce proposal that is on the table – and to which Israel would have already given its approval – and begin to release the hostages it still has in its possession since the October 7 attack.
“As leaders of countries deeply concerned about the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, including many of our own citizens, we fully support – the statement says – the movement towards a ceasefire agreement and hostage release on the table.”
The signatory leaders, among whom are also the Frenchman, Emmanuel Macron, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the Argentine president, Javier Milei, and the Brazilian, Luiz Inazio Lula da Silva, defend that “there is no time to lose” and demand to “Hamas to close this agreement, with which Israel is willing to move forward, and begin the process of releasing” the hostages.
They also call on the Israeli leaders “at this decisive moment”, as well as the leaders of Hamas, to “make the final commitments that are necessary to close this agreement and bring relief” to both the families of the hostages and the population. Israeli and Palestinian civilian.
“It is time for the war to end and this agreement is the necessary starting point,” emphasize the 17 signatory leaders, who emphasize that the proposal on the table would lead to “an immediate ceasefire and the rehabilitation of Gaza.” along with security guarantees for Israelis and Palestinians and opportunities for a more durable long-term peace and a two-state solution.”
In addition to the aforementioned leaders, those of Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Thailand and the United Kingdom also sign the joint call.
Investigation of the National Court
And in Spain, the judge of the National Court María Tardón asked the Civil Guard to carry out a report on the structure of Hamas and its leaders, within the framework of the case opened to investigate the attacks of October 7, in the that two Spanish citizens died: the Basque citizen Iván Illarramendi and the Spanish-Israeli Maya Villalobo.
