Palestinian, South African, Human Rights Watch representatives on ICJ Israel ruling | FULL REACTION

Hello everyone and thank you for joining us on this press conference uh for this press conference on the ruling released earlier today by the international court of justice on the Gaza genocide case I am Aiza kanji legal academic and journalist and I’m moderating this press conference on behalf of the organizers

Just peace Advocates and the Canadian foreign policy Institute in today’s ruling the international court of justice held that Israel’s actions committed in Gaza since October 7th plausibly violate the genocide convention and ordered several emergency provisional measures including that Israel prevent and ensure that the Israeli military not commit genocidal

Killings deprivation of Life necessities and other acts falling within the prohibited Ambit of the genocide convention that Israel prevent and punish genocidal incitement that it ensure adequate humanitarian access and preservation of evidence and that it regularly report back to the court on the implementation of these provisional measures in reaction Israeli officials

Have tweeted ha schmig and described the decision as an act of quote unquote blatant discrimination to discuss the ruling and implications for Canada given Canada’s own International legal obligations to prevent and stop genocide under the genocide convention we are joined by the High Commissioner uh of South Africa to

Canada Ria Shake Palestine Ambassador Mona Abu Amara former un special raor on Palestine Michael link candidate Director of Human Rights Watch farida daif and filmmaker and activist ABI Lewis we’re going to start by hearing from all of our speakers very briefly before we take questions from the Press

Since we do have a mixed audience of press and public we would ask that any journalists here please identify your media affiliation either in your um Zoom name or in a private message to us so that we can be sure to prioritize your questions for any other questions that

People might have we are also having a public um seminar on international law and Palestine for everyone so you can ask your questions to the international legal experts then um South Africa’s High Commissioner to Canada Ria Shake well thank you for giving us the opportunity to express our real action

To the Judgment but before I do that I so we welcome the decision we think it is a a remarkable strong judgment we think we have established the case that this plausible genocide occur in and we think that now the time for action has arisen um we are extremely mindful that as of today every minute every

Action that Israel commits in perpetuation of genocidal intent or plausible genocide they would have to account for it to the court in 30 days time so the CL is ticking and our advice to the state of Israel is to implement the measures of the court and those measures include

Although they did not express it specifically it includes a ceasefire all measures includes a ceasefire so our advice to the Israeli government to the state of Israel is to desist from any further military action and start the process for peace today there were many politicians from various parts of the world who argued

That uh South Africa’s case is meritless in fact they argued that it was legally absurd while the international court of justice found that we were correct in bringing the case before the international Court they have up upheld jurisdiction on the matter they have upheld South Africa’s standing uh local

Standing on the matter and therefore it’s now incumbent on those politicians to publicly admit that they were wrong and secondly they have to do so because those statements that they issued in the past will stand as evidence of complicity imp plausible genocide I thank you very much uh and I will take

Questions thank you High Commissioner shik Ambassador Abu Amara um today allow me to speak as a Palestinian before being a diplomat Ambassador Chief representative and be the voice for the voiceless the millions of Palestinians who not only suffered and are still suffering unconscionable atrocities perpetrated by a ruthless occupier at I

Ities that people of the world should never be faced with not to mention be livere streamed while the rest of the world unfortunately went with its business as usual today the icj affirmed in its ruling and more so in the explanation that led to that ruling that the 25,000 plus Martyrs and thousands

Under still under the rubble weren’t massacred for self-defense they weren’t butchered because it was a necessity Every Soul lost after today is declared as a violation to the Court’s orders tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths and injuries or Martyrs are sick hungry cold imputated Palestinians and those under the rubble have forced the

International community’s highest support to declare that Palestinian blood is not cheap they’re not collateral damage and we’re not in disp we’re not dispensing declaring that the risk of irreparable breaches of genocide convention in Gaza in is imminent and plausible affirms what the Palestinians have been telling the International

Community for decades Israel has been committing genocide ethnic cleansing and forcable displacement against the Palestinians since its Inception Israel has been an apologetic netically committing genocide yet unfortunately the same people who created international law and the forums that guaranteed its enforcement have repeatedly shielded Israel from accountability today the highest court

Of justice has spoken and Palestinians are asking the steadfast allies of Israel especially Canada will you listen today the court has broken the taboo and is calling on State to ader to its responsibilities to prevent genocide we call on Canada to be the leader and champion of the international

Rules based order and as a defender of human rights of women’s rights of children’s rights to practice what it preaches even if those in danger are Palestinians and even when the perpetrators is Israel we call on Canada to end its regarding of Palestinians as an exception to the protection of the

International order and Israel as the exception to ading to international law we call on Canada to stop the armed sale to Israel to stop the to stop communicating with those who incite genocide against our people and stop trade of goods with those who want and declare every single day that they

Want to wipe out the Palestinian people today was a test to the international morals and legal structure it won but the question remains will it be Justice of the mighty and dictated peace that will never bring Justice nor peace or will the rule of law whenn this is a way for the tortured

People in Palestine for our culture for history and Our Roots and we could have never been able to be here without you we could have never had the ability to stand tall and say we have this right to hold Israel accountable and end this impunity without your

Bravery your morals we would have never never seen this day and this day is the beginning of a new era the beginning of the end hopefully to the occupation in the partai thank you so thank you Ambassador Abu Amara Michael link former un special repor in human rights in Palestine and professor

Ameritus of international law at Western University thank you very much for this opportunity to join uh this press conference uh I think this uh ruling is remarkable for three reasons which I’ll I’ll lay out first of all you know by an overwhelming vote the votes on the

Various measures were either 15-2 or 16 to1 among the judges uh the international court of justice accepted South Africa’s legal argument that there was a plausible case of genocide being committed by Israel’s military actions since October uh in Gaza the uh Court uh put a great deal of emphasis on a number

Of statements being made by Leading un officials including uh the UN Secretary General Antonio garus um that Israel’s operations had resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza they noted the 25,000 plus dead in Gaza the more than 60,000 Palestinians wounded uh the large areas of Gaza that have been flattened

Um including uh civilian infrastructure it also made reference to um uh uh statements which would indicate genocidal intent by Leading Israeli uh political figures including the president of Israel the Israeli defense minister and the now Israeli foreign minister uh were specifically cited by the uh by the court with regards to this

And they said that made out a plausible case of genocidal intent all of which will then be part of the evidence that will go into uh a court hearing on the merits of the genocide uh allegations sometime in the next couple of years secondly um there were very strong

Provisional measures that were ordered uh by the court um first of all Israel has to do everything within its power to stop the killing of the protected group the Palestinians in in Gaza it has to stop um causing serious bodily and mental harm it has to Israel has to stop

Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of Life calculated to bring about its physical destruction it has to allow on hindered humanitarian Aid in that will meet the needs of the uh of the population in Gaza it’s uh directed the uh Israeli authorities particularly the Attorney General to investigate reports of dehumanizing and genocidal

Intent language used by Israeli political and uh and military leaders and it’s also ordered obviously the release of all remaining Israeli hostages being held by Hamas uh in uh in Gaza it did not um I I want to note uh order a a ceasefire uh and Israel May

Argue that all of its actions are and continue to be within the guard rails of international law and that it will continue its military assault as per usual but I would say that there’s no way that Israel can wind up fulfilling the provisional orders that have been mentioned particularly with respect to

The order that it has to do everything within its power to stop the killing of members of the protected group except uh through a ceasefire and I would point point out that the uh Court also reminded everybody that the order it’s issuing is legally binding and the third

And final point I want to make uh is that with respect to Canada there have been um there have been three judgments three orders uh issued by the international court of justice over the last two years one regarding Myanmar a second regarding Russia and Ukraine and a third regarding Syria where the

International court of justice has issued uh provisional measures um and in each of those three cases Canada said we reiterate uh that um in this case mamar must comply with the icj’s provisional measures order uh Canada said with respect to Ukraine we welcome the the Court’s ruling for provisional measures

And strongly urge Russia to comply with this legally binding order the icj Canada said is a pillar of the rules-based international order um and with respect to Syria Canada said um with together with the Netherlands we welcome this decision of the court to indicate provisional measures with

Respect to uh use of torture in uh in Syria the order issued today is binding on Israel on Syria we must now immediately implement it must now immediately Implement these provisional measures so I would call upon Canada to do exactly the same thing with respect to this order today coming from the icj

As it’s done and agreed to with respect to Myanmar Russia and Syria and the very last point I’ll make is uh I said that the orders are not legally binding uh sorry they are legally binding but there’s no enforcement measurement uh by the by the

Icj itself that will now uh go to the intern to the uh United Nations security Council um and then the issue the spotlight will be on the United States is whether it will issue a fourth veto uh with respect to a call by the um for an immediate humanitarian Arian

Ceasefire in Gaza recall that the last time there was a vote on this on the 22nd of December the vote in favor of humanitarian ceasefire by the security Council was 13 to1 to1 with the United Kingdom abstaining and the United States vetoing this um I think the pressure

Hopefully in the aftermath of this ruling uh will be um will be to put the United States in a position where it has to tell its Ally Israel to stop uh the war thank you professor far D candidate Director of Human Rights Watch thank you so much the international court of justice the

Principal judicial organ of the United Nations delivered a landmark decision today the court essentially made clear to not only Israel but also its allies that immediate action is needed to prevent genocide and further atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza the speed of the Court’s ruling only underscores a recogn of the dire situation where

Civilians face starvation and are being killed daily at levels unprecedented in the recent history of this conflict notably the court found that it was critical to adopt these urgent measures in order to protect the rights claimed by South Africa that the court found to be plausible including the right of

Palestinians in Gaza to be protected from acts of genocide the provisional orders require Israel to essentially do five things prevent and not commit any acts of acts under the genocide convention prevent and punish incitement to genocide by its officials ensure the provision of humanitarian Aid and basic needs to Palestinians in Gaza prevent

The destruction and ensure the preservation of evidence related to this case and report back on its progress within one month fundamentally measures that would protect civilians ensure compliance with international law and seek to prevent further suffering the case brought by South Africa provides a critical opportunity for the international court of justice

To provide clear definitive answers on the question of whether Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people the severity and the gravity of the abuses committed in Gaza warrant this level of scrutiny allegations of genocide or any atrocity crime only underline the importance of independent and impartial investigations

As we’ve said at Human Rights Watch again and again governments including Canada should publicly and unequivocally support this process the Court’s clear and binding orders rais the stakes for Canada and Israel’s other allies to back up their stated commitment to a global rule-based order by helping ensureing compliance with this

Ruling the court found that there’s a plausible risk of genocide so states are required under the genocide con convention to take actions to prevent genocide and of course not to be complicit in its commission it cannot be business as usual both for Israel and its allies following this Landmark

Decision Canada should urgently leverage its its should urgently use its leverage to ensure that the Court’s orders are enforced by the state of Israel both the Prime Minister and Minister joli should push Israel both privately and publicly to comply with the provisional measures and State unequivocally that Canada

Expects the full immediate and effective implementation of these orders as the European Union has just done Canada has historically been been a leading voice for international accountability it played a central role in establishing the international criminal court and has championed efforts at the international court of justice on Syria Myanmar and Ukraine the

Canadian government’s position on Israel Palestine departs Gravely from Canada’s story Legacy of action to prevent and address International crimes but it’s not too late to reverse course prime minister Trudeau can choose to act and not be a silent bystander to atrocities he can choose to advance Justice and accountability for serious International

Crimes the government can choose to engage in an impartial and principled manner thank you thank you Farid DF and now our last speaker Abby Lewis filmmaker and associate professor at the University of British Columbia where he is also a member of the Jewish faculty Network thank you uh I’m honored once

Again to be among these these luminaries on such an important day a day on which the international court of justice has ruled that there is a plausible case of genocide for Israel to answer this is enormously significant and I want to highlight three specific constituencies for whom this day is an historic turning

Point this is a turning point for the peace movement for millions of people around the world who have been watching in horror as atrocities pour across their screens who have been taking to the streets in massive numbers around the world for 112 days now this is a moment of validation believe your eyes

These Horrors are not talking points or propaganda they are real real lives snuffed out real crimes of masturbation displacement and Slaughter the moral outrage the demand for ceasefire have been validated by the highest court in human society now is the time to double down on mobilizing protesting disrupting the status quo

Bringing the catastrophe home for all governments in all countries it’s a long-awaited moment of accountability for Israel not just for the ongoing crimes in Gaza but for the entire system of illegal occupation apartheid dehumanization and oppression of pales Ians it’s a moment that disrupts Israel’s impunity and isolates Israel internationally putting a significant

New level of pressure on its allies and defenders in the international Arena and that includes Canada this is a turning point for Canada a moment of truth in our country as a signatory to the convention on genocide Canada must not support or enable a country that may be

Engaging in the most heinous acts of which humanity is capable we cannot support and enable a country being tried for genocide we currently have a trade deal with a country being tried for genocide we sell weapons to a country being tried for genocide we give diplomatic support

At the UN we welcome members of the military we Grant charitable tax status to groups that advocate for a country being tried for genocide and all of this should stop immediately legally Canada is legally exposed unless there’s a major shift in our foreign policy towards Israel any

Country in the world can now take Canada to the international court of justice and accuse us of aiding and abetting a country which is being tried for genocide so every Act of Canada’s government must now take into account this turning point in foreign affairs and finally speaking as a Jewish

Person this is a turning point for Jewish people everywhere this is a somber and truly historical moment many Jews have long criticized the actions of the state of Israel many of us have been saying not in our name for years and with massively increased urgency for the

Last 112 days but many Jewish people still have a deep visceral connection to the idea of a Jewish State and there are many myths that have long persisted this is a turning point for those myths that Israel is a light unto the Nations that the Israeli military is the most moral

Army in the world world that Israel is a guarantee that there will never again be another Holocaust remember the convention on genocide itself emerged From the Ashes of the Six Million of the showa of the genocide against Jews the state of Israel itself emerged from that historic horror it’s incredibly imp

Painful for some Jews to acknowledge that Israel is now a country being tried for genocide but today this is an indisputable fact so for Jewish people everywhere for Canadians for people around the world who are on fire for peace this is a turning point a time to

Get on the right side of history and demand a ceasefire now an end to Armed sales and diplomatic support to Israel and an end to the occupation and the dismantling of apartheid in Palestine thank you thank you AI Lewis and greatest thanks to all of our speakers um just peace Advocates and

Canadian foreign policy policy Institute in order for Canada to fulfill its obligations to prevent and stop genocide are calling for Canada to withdraw all forms of military Financial moral political support for the genocide including by first suspending permits for arm sales to Israel second causing bilateral military ties third by

Revoking the charitable status of Charities violating the Canada Revenue Agency by Rules by assisting the Israeli military fourth by announcing an investigation into Canadians fighting in Gaza and fifth by condemning the genocide now we’ll move to questions from media any journalists who are here who have questions please do just raise

Your hand and identify your media outlet and we’ll call on you and for others who are here who have questions a reminder that uh you can ask them in the um seminar that we’ll be having on international law and Palestine on Wednesday we’ll start with Dylan Robert Robertson from Canadian press

Dylan hi for taking thank you for taking our questions here uh my question is for both Ambassador Abu Amara and the High Commissioner Shake uh I’m just wondering what communication you’ve had with the government over this case and what kind of response you heard when you raised this you’re muted hi commissioner Shake

Yes you’re good now yes uh recently in the past few days we did have a consultation with the Canadian government wherein they sought to understand the basis of the case that we brought before the icj we explained it in detail uh I must say that I I left that

Meeting with an understanding that Canadian foreign policy at least at the official level is grappling the gravity of the matter that was going to be the on which the Judgment was given today so I remained hopeful in light of the previous pronouncement of the Canadian government uh in this respect they will

Be they will be supportive of the outcome of the judgment and that will place an obligation to them as a signat to the convention to follow up on certain action uh to prevent uh genocide so that’s the first level I want to offer a very concrete Way Forward in this

Regard uh many countries have been saying for far too long that they support a two-state solution to the problems of Palestine and Israel while The First beginning and the first step to meaningfully contribute to that two-state solution must be the recognition of Palestine as a state uh now Canada needs and Canada

Canadian government needs to in light of this judgment and in light of its own contribution towards a two-state solution needs to give consideration to the recognition of Palestine as a state by the Canadian government thank you thank you I know Dylan has a followup but first Ambassador Abu Amara your remarks well

Um I had a communication after uh prime minister Trudeau made his initial um statement in the conference in the press conference and before the actual statement came out from Minister juli uh the conf the conversation was mainly that what we got from that press conference from the PM

Was that they would stay neutral to um uh the proceedings until they see how it goes so I didn’t have any Communications after but the understanding was that it’s a neutral position and uh I seconded uh my dear friend here when I spoke about the necessity not to wait

For the occupier to decide if uh the Palestinian people deserve to have a state and I called on Canada to recognize Palestine and that would be a way um forward for justice and I requested dearly that if Canada does not support the uh proceedings and the case

Of South Africa to not stand in the way of Justice not to have a negative impact like it did on other cases so that message I think was uh received in um and it was portrayed in in the statement I feel so that was a positive reaction

That I got from uh that meeting and the statements after but now um we request a lot more of Canada after this room thank you Ambassador buar Dylan thank you sorry uh and I’m just wondering how uh each of you two would characterize the response from the Canadian government so far I think

You’ve pretty accurately tra it that we’re we’re stay neutral in the case we haven’t said if we we’re going to respect the eventual ruling but I’m just wondering if you would say um you know are we are we failing to uphold our Duty or is this sort of part for the course

How would you characterize uh the sort of stance that you’ve been hearing from the Canadian government so far um they haven’t really said anything more than what you’ve heard um on the in the press conference or uh in the statement but I know that the Canadian government is

Put in a corner right now because of uh what Israel is doing on the ground they have they are unable to Shield them anymore and and they have their own responsibilities and it would um shed light on The credibility of what Canada preaches versus what Canada practices so

I think that’s a very tough position to be in but I hope that uh moving forward Canada will do the right thing and be on the right side of History not just um as as a as something that is good and just for the Palestinians but also uh something that

Is necessary for its credibility in front of the world and to its own PE thank you Ambassador omara would oh sorry Dylan or would any of the other speakers like to um give a response to Dylan’s questions particularly about Canada’s fulfillment of its um legal legal obligations in light of the Judgment

Today if I can just remark very briefly there there is a um uh report from um Global Affairs that uh Minister joli spoke with the foreign minister of Israel yesterday uh and um in the print out of the uh of the exchange between the two of them there was a long remark

Uh with respect to minister joli reiterating its condemnation as it should of the terrorist attacks on the 7th of October uh but all she said with respect to what’s going on in Gaza since the 7th of October was her deep concern over the humanitarian crisis faced by uh

Palestinian civilians in Gaza and saying that they um their protection is Paramount um this is typical I’m afraid of what Canada has said is and other uh countries in the global North have said that uh they keep on calling on Israel to abide by International humanitarian

Law they don’t call it out uh when it is in breach of international humanitarian law as it has with respect to its efforts towards um starvation the denial of uh of the necessities of life the hindrance of humanitarian Aid and of course the indiscriminate bombing uh of of

Gaza if I could just add to that as well if you you know I would encourage media to read that uh readout between um you know following a meeting between Minister Jolie and her new Israeli counterpart Israel cats because it was quite telling in terms of I mean this

Came out yesterday um not only um you know as as Michael mentioned in terms of the portrayal of the the humanitarian crisis in a lot of ways it was business as usual the a portrayal of the humanitarian suffering um of Palestinians as though it was the result

Of a humanitarian disaster uh simply a natural disaster not at all man-made not at all the result of Israeli human rights violations um and at the same time what was actually uh very disheartening it was at the end of that readout there was a sort of commemoration of the 75 year um

Anniversary of Canada and Israel’s ties the strong peop to- people relations Etc really unprecedented um you know it’s hard to imagine in any other case where a country is being um is before the international court of justice for serious International crimes like genocide for Canada in a readout to

Celebrate its peop to people ties with that country and um it’s uh the anniversary of its bilateral relations so uh there is you know certainly a very urgent need uh to reverse course um uh very sharply uh and not continue business as usual here thank you my apologies hi

Commissioner Shake I think you were muted before and I didn’t I didn’t realize so please okay I think we should follow what AI has said there was A World Before the judgment and there’s a world after the judgment and of course the current world is going to judge

Every country but how it deals with this judgment and I think that’s the turning point and I think Canada should like all other countries do the right thing now uh recognize the Judgment this is a very important day in the development of inter national law and any country who

Wants to claim that it practices the rule of law must abide by the decision of a court that placed certain obligations not only on Israel it has placed certain obligations for all of us who believe that we are part of this International order so for me it is

Quite clear and I am hopeful that Canada will abide by the decisions of the icj and in accordance of being a responsible Global citizen it has no other choice but to do so thank you High Commissioner Shake um now we’ll take a question from um lama

Aad lama if you’d like to ask your question please go ahead thank you very much uh first of all I’d like to say congratulations ambassadors and congratulation Palestine and thank you South Africa for finally holding holding Israel accountable to its genocidal act and ethnic cleansing measures that has

Been taking place for the past decades and I’m making that statement as a Palestinian uh my question now as a as a journalist um Do You Believe which is to both ambassadors do you believe that the ruling of icj which did not mention ceasefire was to prevent uh USA from

Vetoing that ruling had it mentioned ceasefire uh and if you want you can answer that question and then I can do a followup question uh perhaps or do you have perhaps have yeah uh and now that the court of justices has ruled uh we know that the position of the Prime Minister Justin

Trudeau and Minister Julie has announced that they don’t support the case in one hand but also they support the process of the icj which implies that Canada will respect uh the decision of the Court um have you either Ambassador received any support from any MPS from either parties especially from the

Conservatives and do you believe um this is a step forward to push Canada to finally recognize a Palestinian State under this government especially that it’s quite clear that the position of the conservatives have been very aggressive against the Palestinians to a point they have been excusing Israel

From any war crimes they have been committed committing at the parliament thank you so on the question of uh the United States of America in regard to whether they could veto the decision of the icj my understanding is that the icj is a court it is independent of uh those acts

Now the the report of the Court will go before the United Nation Security Council uh I would see it very difficult for the United States to veto the adoption of the uh order of the court in fact I think the order of the court is binding on on on participants of the of

The convention so the question is whether any action that the United Nations security Council may do and of course I think on a positive side and I want to be optimistic because this is also day of hope that the United States of America will also abide by The Binding order of

The court so that is my hope secondly in regard to Canada I want to be fair to the government of Canada the ruling just uh came out a few hours ago I am sure that they would be considering the implications of the decision I will call

For I will hold my critism because at this point I have none and we would afford the Canadian government time to reflect on the consequences of the ruling and I’m confident that there are sufficient voices of reason they are sufficient voices who want to uphold uh International and humanitarian law will

Be brought to bear on the Canadian government to act consistently ly with the Judgment in respect of other political parties is not for me as a a a representative of my country to reflect on what positions they may or may not take but as I said before I think a very

Credible demonstration towards the two-state solution for Palestine and Israel has to start from the recognize recognition of Palestine as a state um I just like you summed up everything um I wanted to say I I second uh um your enthusiasm and the patience uh uh because we don’t know what uh Canada’s

Uh position would be and we will have that talk when it happened but I wanted to assure that when the conference in the conference press conference or in the statement um neither the Prime Minister nor Minister Julie have rejected South Africa’s uh case they said that their acceptance and support

For the icj Do Not does not mean that they agree with the premise but as we’ve learn all learned in the international law that does not mean that it disagrees with it either so that’s the neutrality that we got out of it with the position the hard position uh that Canada is in

That’s to me um was the the feeling on the issue with the MPS yes uh I I know that a lot of MPS are supportive of the icj’s case uh uh South Africa’s case against Israel and they push the government also to take a bolder uh

Position um on that regard I always feel that action is uh much better than talk all the time so I urge uh MPS every day to put down bills to uh do the walk uh not just the talk so recognize to push the government to recognize Palestine

Push it now to uh ader to the uh to the ruling um those ways help Palestine push to action things uh on the ground uh instead of uh pushing and hoping uh mostly so we we were hoping for neutrality before the court now we wish Canada to actually have a pos positive

Impact and stop the neutrality because neutrality does not work after today I’ve got one more matter to add on this and I think we should not not pay attention to it because the court also ruled that Hamas must release unconditionally all of the hostages that it is holding uh the foreign minister South

Africa on the outcome of this decision made that call uh the president of South Africa made that call and I in keeping with that make the same call that all hostages held by Hamas should be released immediately and unconditionally so that the peace process can no longer

Be held hostage to the fact that they are hostages so we must release those uh prisoners so that the peace process can indeed happen thank you High Commissioner shake and Ambassador Abu Amara would any of the other speakers like to respond to those questions as well in the meantime

If you are a journalist and have a question please do raise your hand and ask it anyone else who has a question please come on Wednesday you can ask all of your questions then today we’re just taking questions from the journalists um and so we’ll have any other responses

From the speakers to those questions um as well as if you would like to perhaps make a one minute um closing statement each I just want to briefly respond to the scope of the implications for Canadian Society um we’ve talked about the government of Canada uh a needed

Change in its foreign policy an Abrupt shift um from if you if you parse the statements of of Canadian officials and and our foreign minister and prime minister you find a lot of uh pro-israel talking points in the detail as as you saw as as it was pointed out in that

Report of the meeting Melanie Jolie had that came out yesterday the top line is kind of neutral the rest is what we’ve heard from Canada for decades which is undiluted support for for Israel uh in the international sphere that’s got to stop that’s got to change um this

Changes everything today but it doesn’t just change everything at the governmental level public institutions across the country have to take account of this decision uh on my own campus at the University of British Columbia couple of weeks ago Hillel a Zionist group on campus brought a member of the

Israeli military for a public event to to quote unquote you know report from what’s going on on the ground in in in Gaza I did not attend this event members of independent Jewish voices protested outside which I thought was important and significant in a peaceful and uh and

And uh Fierce way um but you can’t imagine a member of the Russ military being invited to UBC to give an account from the ground in Ukraine and and give us an update on on all the wonderful things that Russia is doing in protecting civilian lives in Ukraine

It’s just inconceivable and we have to all adjust at every level in every public institution in Canada and and recognize this new reality that is Israel is on on trial for genocide and it has to shift the way that public institutions respond and react and and and how they conduct themselves on

Campuses in particular I mean as a as a as as an academic that’s that’s a special passion of mine thank you AI um Professor link or far daif otherwise we do have another question um from Andy Chung from the um as a journalist so um okay so Andy please ask your question go

Ahead hello hello yes yes um I have a question um respond to High Commissioner Shak um it was a very good point that um South Africa U make a clear announcement that Hamas also have to release the hostage so the peace process will not be held hostage now the question is Israel can

Put into um icj court but how about Hamas like who can enforce the the law or or or the request like we we understand Palestinian Authority cannot put Hamas to court so who who can put Hamas to court I’m I’m not an expert in international law but can icj also trial

The other side too so make the West for example tro or United State easier to accept the ruling thank you Andy um pleas go ahead Professor link to do um the international court of justice uh as described the highest court in the UN system um adjudicates disputes between

States uh as well as um uh answers advisory opinion requests from various un bodies uh the proper place for an issue involving war crimes involving Hamas or non-state party would be the the international criminal court and which is sometimes confused with the icj the international criminal court is also

In the heg but it looks at um war crimes crimes against humanity and genocide but involving individuals so that’s where the that’s the proper court and the proper location for any allegations of war crimes that may have been committed uh by Hamas or any other Palestinian armed

Group and could you just perhaps expand on that a little is that process already underway and what has Israel’s reaction been sure is does not recognize the jurisdiction of the international criminal court uh over uh over any allegations of war crimes or violations of the Rome statute of the international

Criminal court but the international criminal court in February of 2021 almost three years ago accepted that it had jurisdiction over the Palestinian territory Gaza uh East Jerusalem and the West Bank and it is currently investigating uh allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity by um

By both Hamas and by uh Israel uh committed since uh 2014 so for the last nine years it has jurisdiction uh over those uh over those crimes uh and you people have Commit have criticized the ICC for moving like molasses on this one may hope that the

Catastrophe we’ve seen and um and the allegations of war crimes over the last three and a half months will spur the ICC to devote more resources into investigation to be able to bring all those who are required to come to Justice to Justice at the court thank you um for that answer

Professor link and so um now we can just wrap up uh with um just if anyone has any brief closing remarks they would like to make uh we can go in reverse order from the order we went in before so um AI leis fre the DI Michael link

And then the High Commissioner and the Ambassador Obby if you would like to to say anything yes I uh I I I know there is I just want to acknowledge that there’s a lot of anger out there despite this historic decision that the international court of justice didn’t

Simply demand as it did in the case of Russia and Ukraine that the violence stop immediately it should have called for a ceasefire South Africa’s uh provisional measures that were requested included an immediate ceasefire that was neglected by the judgment and that’s wrong um I think the re the reality is

That there are political there you know that this operates in a political context but the judges from the UK and from Germany and from France and from the United States affirmed every part of the judgment and it it seems that the court recognized its own political limits in terms of demanding an

Unconditional ceasefire it should have and Palestinians around the world are Furious about that and they should be and the peace movement around the world is furious about that and it should be and we can also recognize that today was a day of days a before and after day

That everything is different now and that we have to act on that basis as well but let’s say the court should have called for a ceasefire it does need to be Z thank you AI Lewis fre the dive thanks Aiza um you know for years now Human Rights Watch has called on

Canada to engage with the reality on the ground um in Israel Palestine uh several years ago a few years ago now we we determined that that reality was the reality of a part and persecution um something that Palestinian organizations Israeli organizations International organizations have also found we called

On Canada repeatedly to stop turning a blind eye to these serious International Crimes by its Ally Israel that essentially breeds impunity and breeds what we’ve seen over the past three and a half months which is a complete and devastating breakdown of international law today is a hopeful day as High Commissioner Shea said

Um we finally it finally feels like we’re moving forward towards a path of justice and accountability and we hope that Canada follows us on this path thank you fre the dive Canada director Human Rights Watch Michael link this issue of international law and Israel’s failure to to obey uh it has

Been longstanding this didn’t start today with this ruling coming from the international court of justice the United Nations has passed resolutions for over the past 45 years saying that the annexation of occupied territory is illegal that settlements are illegal that this is an occupation and the Fourth Geneva Convention winds up

Applying that the Palestinians have the right to self-determination and that Israel has been in violation of many parts of international conventions on human rights and humanitarian law um I would call this ruling today a glass of water that’s 3/4 full um it gave most of the um needed provisional measures

Requested by Israel it didn’t give the clear Direction uh with respect to a ceasefire um I think the only way to fulfill the provisional measures that have been issued is by a ceasefire but I’m I’m I fear that Israel will use the lack of a of a definitive explicit call

For ceasefire to continue what it’s been doing but as I think the theme we’ve all been talking about is one of accountability this occupation has gone on as long as it has 56 years in count because there’s been an utter lack of accountability primarily coming from countries in the global North with

Respect to this this becomes a case of international law for thee but not for me you know in the Middle East it’s been said that international law has been closer to power than it has been to Justice and you know in my I can’t help

But reflect on my own experience as a un special rapor in this issue if international law have been followed rigorously 40 years ago 30 years ago or even 20 years ago we would not be in the situation today where we’re using the word aparte and we’re using the word

Genocide we would have had a free Palestinian state by now but international law has been pushed to the sidelines and let’s hope that this is a turning point this is a new threshold uh where international law will now be rigorously obeyed and applied in the Middle East thank you Professor link and

Uh we would also note that there is currently also before the international court of justice an advisory case on whether um Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal and so for a future and further analysis on that um stay tuned as well hi commissioner shake and Ambassador Abu

Amar um ourside uh we want to make clear that this was not a one event process we have uh are committed to doing everything in the power as as a country and as a government to ensure that justice will prevail for the Palestinian people uh and we would

We would hold by the ruling of the Court we will hold Israel to account within 30 days in respect of the measures that they have to implement and we will not stop and we will continue hauling up the mirror for them to account by the provisional agreements until Palestine is free

Um I want to add to what Abby said I agree the court fell short from calling for a total ceasefire and the Palestinians in Gaza deserve that it didn’t explicitly uh say it but our feeling and why we’re happy um even with this first of all to be heard to be

Recognized to um to be seen as people who are have been tortured and uh to have that be investigated that’s something that every Palestinian hold very close to their heart in addition we believe that that uh ruling was crafted very very well um taking into consideration the political uh issues

That Abby spoke of that Israel would not be able in any shape or form I would steal my colleague amar’s statement in any shape or form to implement the this ruling without stopping seizing all of its aggressions all of its atrocities because to us the war the aggression

That Israel is committing is not against Hamas it’s against the Palestinian people as a whole it’s the extension it’s neba 2.0 with which is much um now invented in a way that that it creates so much more damage to finish to finish the job that the Godfathers of the

Zionist project were not able to do in 1948 and ever since so for us this is not the end this is simply the beginning of many more of those moments hopefully uh where we will get to Justice and it will come and we wish that those countries around us the allies of Israel

Those who are calling for uh human rights and rules based order would actually recognize that they need to implement it even when it’s their friend and Ally committing those atrocities and jde thank you thank you Ambassador Abu Amara High Commissioner shik many many thanks to all our speakers great thanks

To all of you who have joined us here today in the wake of this momentous ruling and also deepest gratitude to all of those whose hard work May made today’s press conference possible Karen Rudman from just peace Advocates Bianca mugeni and Eve angler from Canadian foreign policy Institute Enver Domingo

And everyone else who helped to pull this together um as we said stay tuned for the webinar on on Wednesday um I also want to reiterate what just peace Advocates and Canadian foreign policy institutes demands are which are for Canada to withdraw all forms of military financial and political and moral

Complicity in the genocide including through curtailing Aid through U military relationships through charitable donations and Canadian participation in the Israeli military um and if you would like to sign a letter to the government calling for these things uh you can check that out on the just piece Advocates website

If as a journalist you have any follow-up questions or interview requests for any of our speakers today Karen has just posted uh the email address info@ justpeace advocates.com can contact and uh we can arrange that throughout the day so thank you again to everyone uh for joining us today

South Africa’s High Commissioner to Canada Rieaz Shaik, Palestinian General Delegation to Canada’s Mona Abuamara, Human Rights Watch Canada director Farida Deif and former UN Rapporteur Michael Lynk all react to the ICJ’s ruling on genocide and Israel.

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