World should use ICJ decision to step up pressure on Israel: Greek Palestinian community leader

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) — The world should use the provisional ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to increase pressure on Israel to reach a lasting and just peace with Palestinians, the president of the Palestinian Community in Greece said on Friday.

Speaking to Anadolu, Mohammed al-Sayyed drew attention to the fact that world court's decision earlier on Friday, which orders Israel to take "all measures within its power" to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, is the first time the ICJ "made a decision that Israel is accountable for what it is doing in Gaza."

Though the ICJ’s provisional ruling stopped short of ordering a cease-fire in Gaza, the first of South Africa's nine demands when it brought the case to the ICJ in late December, it is significant that the court confirmed and informed the world of Israel's atrocities in Gaza, added al-Sayyed.

"The president of the judges read the full list of accusations against Israel, using extracts from the UN general secretary, from the World Health Organization, and from many other international organizations which exposed Israel's criminal acts in Gaza," al-Sayyed remarked.

"Namely, the court told the world that Israel is doing criminal things in Gaza, including displacing Palestinians, causing starvation — hunger and starvation."

Against this background, he said, the international community should take from where the ICJ left off, which is pressing Israel for an immediate cease-fire as a first step.

According to al-Sayyed, the ruling is a defeat for Israel for three major reasons.

First of all, he said, despite massive pressure, the court rejected to drop the case brought by South Africa.

"To put Israel in front of international court and tell them, 'you are responsible for actions in Gaza,' and urging them to stop the killing, protect civilians and open humanitarian corridors, is something."

"And thirdly, not less importantly, it opened the eyes of people who have been hesitant on which side they should stand for," al-Sayyed remarked, adding that the ruling was also a big win for humanity.

He emphasized that the court's ruling would give a new impetus for a permanent and just solution of the long-lasting dispute between Israel and Palestinians.

Calling Israel an "apartheid state," Al-Sayyed said Palestinians would use the ruling as an opportunity to raise awareness of the atrocities Tel Aviv has been committing against them and to demand a permanent solution that includes their "right to return to their ancestral homeland."

"And the world, which has many other problems such as climate-change, pollution and other ongoing bloody armed conflicts in its different parts, should promptly and constantly push Israel until it finally accepts to restore all rights of Palestinians,” al-Sayyed also said.