United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all parties to abide the judgment of the International Court of Justice on provisional measures in the conflict in Gaza.

Guterres will also refer the court decision to the IN Security Council.

Spokesperson for Guterres Stéphane Dujarric said the UN boss has noted the order issued by the court.

The court has ordered Israel to take measures to “prevent the commission of acts within the scope of Article II of the Convention, including killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s destruction and imposing measures intended to prevent births.”

Guterres said the court has also asked Israel to ensure that humanitarian assistance is delivered to the people of Gaza.

Guterres further called for all sides to abide by the decision of the court.

“The Secretary-General recalls that, pursuant to the Charter and to the Statute of the Court, decisions of the court are binding and trusts that all parties will duly comply with the Order from the Court.

“In accordance with the Statute of the Court, the Secretary-General will promptly transmit the notice of the provisional measures ordered by the court to the Security Council,“ said Dujarric.

South Africa took the issue of Israel to the ICJ late last year.

Several other countries have come out in support of South Africa.

But the US, UK, Germany and other countries in Europe have supported Israel and believe the court action was not fair.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the court action saying the provisional measures were necessary to prevent the genocide in Gaza.

siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za

Politics