“On October 22, an Israeli plane came out of nowhere and dropped a bomb on my home, killing 21 members of my family, including 14 children—my nieces and nephews.”
For Ahmed and every Palestinian, justice is not abstract but deeply personal, especially for the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured 15 months of Israel’s onslaught.
Convened by the Progressive International, the meeting between state representatives of Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa promises collective legal action in response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
The statement adopted following the meeting commits states to:
Uphold the arrest warrants issued against Israeli officials by the International Criminal Court;
Prevent provision or transfer of arms, munitions and related equipment to Israel, where there is a clear risk that they might be used to violate international law; and
Prevent the docking of vessels at any of their ports where there is a risk of the vessel being used to carry military fuel and weaponry to Israel.
“For the past 76 years, we have faced mass slaughter and displacement. We have lived as refugees in our own country, enduring pain, suffering, blockade, wars, and massacres. And Israel, unfortunately, has got away with it… because there has been no accountability,” Ahmed told The Hague Group.
The Hague Group emerged amid unprecedented attacks on the ICC and the ICJ. Israel continues to ignore ICJ rulings on dismantling its occupation, while the U.S. shields its leader and threatens sanctions.
Although Ahmed recognises the importance of this event as a first step towards justice, he wants the ICC to go further: “There are thousands of other people who deserve to receive arrest warrants by the ICC. There are all of the Israeli soldiers who invaded Gaza, have destroyed Gaza, who have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. All of them should be here very soon.”
In defiance from the global south, The Hague Group’s message is a simple one: no one is above the law.
Who will be next to join this movement for justice and accountability, in defence of humanity and for the conscience of the world?
Share this post