Special livestream: Decision at the ICJ

On a special episode of The Electronic Intifada livestream, we took a look at the International Court of Justice’s ruling shortly after it was issued, ordering Israel to take measures to prevent acts of genocide and punishing those who incite to genocide.

MULTIMEDIA: photos and videos of today’s reading of the #ICJ Order in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (#SouthAfrica v. #Israel) are available here https://t.co/iF6i9iRiBZ pic.twitter.com/Fhr7rCcmce
— CIJ_ICJ (@CIJ_ICJ) January 26, 2024

We talked to Susan Akram, director of the International Human Rights Clinic at Boston University’s School of Law, about the implications of the ruling, what it means now in terms of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and what comes next.

Susan has taught at the American University in Cairo and at Al-Quds and Birzeit Universities in the occupied West Bank, and is the author of many publications and scholarly articles about international law and Palestine.

She walked us through the complex legal terms and explained how the ICJ can now refer these provisional measures to the UN Security Council, where it will be taken up by the UN General Assembly which will decide the implementation of the court’s orders against Israel.

Civil society must do everything they can to pressure their states to respond to the court and to hold Israel accountable, Susan said.

Susan also analyzed the decision by the ICJ to not explicitly call for a ceasefire in its order, and what the court’s ruling could mean in terms of complicity by the US and other Western states in Israel’s genocidal acts – including supplying arms to the Israeli military.

The ICJ’s ruling will undoubtedly impact a US federal court hearing that begins on Friday in Oakland, California, over a lawsuit brought by Palestinian Americans, Susan explained.

That federal case is represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights, Al-Haq and Defense for Children International - Palestine against the Biden administration for its complicity in Israel’s genocide and failing to prevent it.

These are just some of the many topics we cover on The Electronic Intifada livestream. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Hosted by Ali Abunimah, Nora Barrows-Friedman, Asa Winstanley and Jon Elmer. Produced and directed by Tamara Nassar.