Australia Palestine protests: Hundreds turn out at rallies over the weekend protesting war in Gaza following renewed calls for Israel to de-escalate tensions
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets in Melbourne and Sydney this weekend.
The demonstrations condemned Israel’s war in Gaza and demanded the Albanian government take further action to sever ties with Netanyahu’s government.
Sunday’s demonstrations cap a week of diplomatic blows for the Jewish state after the United Nations’ two top courts issued separate rebukes warning Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
On Friday, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt all actions in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, “that could impose living conditions on the Palestinian group in Gaza that could lead in whole or in part to physical destruction.”
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have taken to the streets in Melbourne and Sydney, condemning Israel’s war in Gaza and demanding that the Albanian government take further action to sever ties with the Netanyahu government (photo)
Sunday’s demonstrations cap a week of diplomatic blows for the Jewish state after the United Nations’ two top courts issued separate rebukes warning Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
Although the International Court of Justice ruling takes its wording from the UN Convention on Genocide, it does not order Israel to halt all military operations in Rafah.
Instead, it is limited to those military actions that would result in the complete or partial destruction of the population of Rafah, where thousands of civilians and units of Hamas militants remain.
The International Court of Justice’s order is binding, but the court does not have the means to enforce its ruling and there is no chance that Israel will comply.
As Israel has expanded its military assault on Rafah in recent weeks in an effort to wipe out the last Hamas militants seeking refuge in the city, more than 800,000 Palestinians have fled the city, deepening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
Responding to the International Court of Justice ruling, Peter Wertheim, co-director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, argued that Israel had taken more precautions than any other country in conflict to prevent harm to civilians.
“There is no gentle way to deal with Hamas’ butchers and rapists. Their capacity for murder and mayhem must be destroyed root and branch,” Wertheim said.
“No democratic country facing similar circumstances would make itself powerless against terrorists, or call on Israel to do so.”
But Australian Palestinian Action Network chairman Nasser Mashni said continued Israeli military operations required the Australian government to take further action, including through sanctions, an end to arms export licenses and severing diplomatic ties with Israel .
“The ICJ cannot enforce these rulings – that is the job of the international community, including the Australian government,” Mr Mashni said.
“The Australian government must stop hiding behind diplomatic niceties and human rights sermons and instead take meaningful action to put pressure on this rogue state to force it to end its atrocities.”
In the photo: demonstrators carry a sign that reads ‘Jews in solidarity: Palestine will be free’
Federal Cabinet Secretary Chris Bowen said the Australian government supported the International Court of Justice ruling.
“Rafah is the closest thing we have to a refuge for people escaping inside Gaza,” he said.
“We have been very consistent that Rafah should not be attacked.
“We are very consistent that the rulings, the binding rulings of the International Court of Justice, must be respected by all parties, including Israel.”
The ruling is separate from a request the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor filed Monday for arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in addition to senior Hamas figures.
The ICC has yet to decide on the applications, and a decision could take several months.
The ICJ, based in the Dutch city of The Hague, adjudicates on disputes between states, in this case between Israel and South Africa, the latter of which has petitioned the court four times to prevent the former from continuing its military offensive to make. in Gaza.
The ICJ’s determination follows Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel that left 1,200 dead, most of them civilians, while the designated terrorist organization took another 250 hostages.
In response, Israel has waged a military offensive within the enclave to eradicate Hamas, which Palestinian health authorities say has resulted in the deaths of more than 35,000 people, most of whom are civilians.
About 121 hostages, living and dead, are still in the enclave.