Our Bureau
New Delhi
The International Court of Justice ordered Israel to immediately halt its military operations in Rafah. Judge Dalveer Bhandari, the Indian representative at the ICJ, is one of the judges who favored the ruling.
The International Court of Justice, or the World Court, is the only international court that adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on international legal issues. It is one of the six organs of the United Nations, and is located in The Hague, Netherlands
Mr Bhandari, an esteemed jurist with a distinguished career, has been a member of the ICJ since 2012. He was born in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur in 1947, and has received numerous accolades, including the Padma Bhushan in 2014.
Mr Bhandari has advocated numerous landmark cases at the Supreme Court. He served as a senior judge of the Supreme Court having been elevated to the position on 28 October, 2005.
The ICJ ruling, announced by Presiding Judge Nawaf Salam, came in response to an application from South Africa accusing Israel of actions amounting to genocide. The ruling mandates that Israel must cease any actions that could lead to the physical destruction of the Palestinian population in Rafah.
The court’s decision was supported by a 13-2 vote, with only Judges Julia Sebutinde from Uganda and former Israeli High Court President Judge Aharon voting against it. The ruling also stressed the need for Israel to provide unhindered humanitarian aid and access to UN bodies investigating the allegations of genocide.
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, praised the ruling, urging for its immediate implementation. He stressed that adherence to ICJ resolutions is mandatory, highlighting Israel’s obligation as a party to the Genocide Convention.
Despite the ICJ’s ruling, Israel has firmly rejected the order, with the National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, alongside the foreign ministry, stating that Israel’s military operations in Rafah are in accordance with international law and that they have no intention of creating conditions that would lead to the destruction of the Palestinian population.
