At a rally on 28 July in Brisbane Magan-djin several lawyers analysed the ICJ ruling on the illegal Israeli occupation in Palestine. Each in their own way criticise the Australian government for not implementing sanctions on Israel despite the International Court of Justice finding genocide risks, racial apartheid, and unlawful occupation.
Speakers demand law reform to automatically activate sanctions and ban public investment in illegal settlements. They emphasize the importance of acknowledging critical facts in news reports about Israel’s genocide in Palestine, particularly in Gaza where 86% of the strip is under Israeli evacuation orders. Speakers highlight the need for collective action to stand strong and united in the face of institutional suppression. One of the speakers claimed that the failure of the international community is caused by lack of ‘radical imagination’. Not in my experience. More like a failing of organisation to stop genocide. All the rulings in the world can’tstop the IDF and their backers: some, like the human rights lawyer, were educated at Havard.
Recently the Australian government passed the defence trade control amendment bill in Parliament which made the defense exports to the UK and US under AUKUS exempt from our permits process, which means that we now export to the US and UK, two key suppliers of Israel’s military without checking the end use of those defence exports.
ICJ ruling on displaying the map of disappearing Palestine
Today, nine months after Palestine Fair Trade stall was banned from the West End markets in Brisbane Magan-djin for displaying a map of disappearing Palestine the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulling on the illegal occupation of Palestine has vindicated the vendors action of displaying the map that shows the illegal occupation of Palestine from 1948 to this day. The Palestine Fair Trade stall holders did nothing wrong. The people who came out to support Palestine Fair Trade in Australia made the right decision to go down to the West End markets on the 28th October 2023 to p[protest and were justified in their support. We hope that people will see that the ICJ decision provides some level of consolation that the truth will always prevail.
The the International Court of Justice ICJ rulings on the occupation of Palestine
The Court
(1) Finds that it has jurisdiction to give the advisory opinion requested;
(2) Decides to comply with the request for an advisory opinion;
(3) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful;
(4) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible;
(5) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
(6) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel has the obligation to make reparation for the damage caused to all the natural or legal persons concerned in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
(7) Is of the opinion that all States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the continued presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
(8) Is of the opinion that international organizations, including the United Nations, are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
(9) Is of the opinion that the United Nations, and especially the General Assembly, which requested this opinion, and the Security Council, should consider the precise modalities and further action required to bring to an end as rapidly as possible the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Petition
Queensland citizens draw to the attention of the House that the International Court of Justice says Israel’s policies in the occupied Palestinian territory amount to annexation. The International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and should come to an end “as rapidly as possible”.
Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to condemn Israel for its occupation of Palestinian territory. Click this link to open the E-Petition: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=4129
Ian Curr
28 July 2024
Reference
Video
The United Nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs has issued this updated map of the Gaza Strip as of July 2024 (see below). The map highlights Israel’s contempt for International Law. The latest 19 July ICJ ruling found that Israels occupation of the occupied territories is unlawful. This includes Gaza and the West Bank as delineated by the 1967 Armistice line or green line. Israel has been in contempt of international law since 1967 (at least).
OCHA have released an updated poster-size map of the Gaza Strip. Digitally accessible here: ochaopt.org/content/gaza-strip-access-and-movement-july-2024, the map focuses on movement and access.
Since the release of the previous poster-size map in September 2023, the Gaza Strip has undergone dramatic changes due to the genocide that began in October 2023. Key changes include:
🚫 Division between north and south regions
🚫 Expansion of the no-go and high-risk buffer zone along the Israel’s perimeter fence from 100 to 1,000 metres
🚫 Destruction or damage to over 100,000 buildings
🚫 Displacement of 90 per cent of the population, with many experiencing repeated displacements
🚫 Recurrent emergence and disappearance of displacement sites due to evacuation orders and hostilities
🚫 A 16-year blockade turned into a complete siege, followed by the allowance of certain incoming commodities, though the conditions to collect or distribute them are not always present
🚫 Ban on travel to the West Bank, including for cancer patients and others who were previously among the exceptional categories allowed to apply for exit permits
🚫 Closure of the permissible fishing area
🚫 Introduction of new entry points for approved supplies coming through Israel and closure of the Rafah crossing
The new map includes detailed information on communities within the Gaza Strip, crossing points, no-go and risk zones, sailing restrictions, the Egyptian border, and internal checkpoints. It also features UN compounds, universities, roads, bridges, hospitals, hotels, and wastewater treatment plants; many of which have been damaged in hostilities. Additionally, inset maps and infographics provide an overview of damage assessments, satellite-observed displacement sites, constraints limiting the access of humanitarian supplies and missions, and the changing volumes of commodities and people moving in and out over the years.
As you can imagine, a static map will never be able to capture the full extent of the genocide on the ground, hence the printed map might reflect outdated or dynamic realities.
We are happy to offer poster-size printouts to those able to visit any of our offices across the Occupied Palestinian Territory. For partners unable to visit our offices, we encourage to use the linked digital version.
We hope you find this product useful in understanding the full extent of the murderous activities of the Israeli occupation.
Reference
https://www.ochaopt.org/content/gaza-strip-access-and-movement-july-2024?fbclid=IwY2xjawEWPetleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZgF0YDd8BnWOLP49Be4Vc3om_xP0sNoGYIdk3xoqRfa_TQab4TuCDm7IA_aem_jNfClopVht2XNKfPliYcYg&mibextid=NOb6eG