"All eyes on Rafah." This slogan could not better reflect global reality where the world is focused on the 1.2 million Palestinians sheltering in Rafah and the bloodshed that will follow if or when Israel begins its operation there. Yet, certain international bodies are doing everything in their power (even if it includes unethical actions) to distort the reality of Rafah and lie about why Israel is choosing to operate there.
Last week, South Africa requested an emergency hearing with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order Israel to stop its operations in Rafah and its entire military campaign against Hamas. South Africa's accusations against Israel included attempts to "destroy Palestinian life and wipe them off the face of the earth" while also urging that Rafah is Gaza's last habitable area.
This is the second attempt by South Africa to take Israel to the Hague, as the Court is already investigating a case brought by South Africa in January, which accuses Israel of genocide (even using Israeli singers and comedians as their "evidence").
According to the IDF, Rafah, the southern city in Gaza that borders Egypt, is Hamas's last stronghold. Israeli officials believe Hamas is holding several hostages and where their senior leadership is hiding. Out of the remaining six Hamas battalions left in Gaza, four of them are stationed in Rafah: Yabna (South), Shaboura (North), Tel Sultan (West), and East Rafah.
The ICJ agreed to hold expedited hearings, prompting some experts to express concern that the Court may issue even more stringent orders against Israel than in the past.
Israel has accused South Africa of distorting the facts in a desperate attempt to halt its military operation. Deputy Attorney General Gilad Noam explained that Gaza will not fall if Rafah falls and that destroying Hamas in Gaza only brings the Palestinians one step closer to liberation from the terror group.
Meanwhile, a media watchdog non-profit called HonestReporting pointed out that one day after the ICJ agreed to South Africa's expedited requests, the Court held a ceremony in honor of Qatar's lavish gift that, according to the ICJ, marks an "appreciation and respect for its [ICJ's] efforts to maintain peace and achieve justice. The same Qatar that funds Hamas is letting the terror group's leadership hide out while the Palestinian people suffer. The idea that Qatar is interested in peace efforts is laughable.
The next day, the ICJ opened the hearings on Israel, as South Africa requested. The timeline is very fishy, and nothing about it seems ethical. The ICJ is catering to terror groups and their friends by ignoring the context of why Israel needs to operate in Rafah. On Friday, Israel requested that judges at the ICJ dismiss South Africa's case, stating that it makes "a mockery of the heinous charge of genocide." The suffering in Gaza is truly tragic and an unfair reality. Even with the UN's "adjusted" numbers, the entire military campaign is upsetting and hard to watch. Even more, an offensive in Rafah will likely lead to more tragedy and casualties on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides. Does this make it a genocide? Absolutely not.
By agreeing to South Africa's demands, the ICJ is making a mockery of what the true horror of genocide entails. If they continue to play this game, they will not be remembered as the international body that upholds justice but as the body that assisted the terror groups that have pledged to commit genocide again and again.
