A Good Day For Israel at The UN’s ICR

I am heartened by the International Court of Justice’s decision in the charges brought against Israel by South Africa, with the full knowledge that many of are reading disappointing reviews from many Jewish, Israeli and other commentators. As a self-proclaimed lifelong progressive and liberal, no one is more fiercely supportive of the people of Israel and their defense forces.

As I watched the decision being read, I think the ICJ was for affirming Israel’s right to exist, to defend itself from aggression, and, most importantly and to the charges, agreed that by international law Israel was not committing “genocide” of which that court is an arbiter for the world. Furthermore, on all counts, the votes of the individual justices were overwhelmingly in support of Israel with sometimes only one or two opposing.

While there were words of caution to Israel, its acquittal in the UN’s international court of law is a victory for the rule of law and the right of the democratic state of Israel to defend itself, exist and defeat their enemies. Must they be cautious? Yes, and the fact that they were not convicted of genocide affirms that they have been cautious.

Finally, they recommended Israel be responsible for allowing more humanitarian aid, which it is willing to do, but the world fully aware of that Hamas hijacks a good bit of aid, if not most of the aid going into Gaza and that the Israeli have not been able to stop it. It is all well documented. Israel has no intent to stop aid to innocents and it is the Hamas regime that must be responsible for allowing aid to be distributed to their civilians.

I am not a lawyer, political scientist or politician. I am just an old Jew living with the intergenerational trauma of a real life adjudicated genocide (the Holocaust adjudicated so at the Nuremberg Trials) after WWII which sadly set the international legal standard for genocide.

In fact, I am so encouraged by this finding, the state of Israel may well have a case after October 7 of filing charges against Iran and their proxies in Lebanon, Syria and elsewhere for their fixation on their state- and religiously- sponsored genocidal aspirations towards Jews and Israel which they now pronounce and act upon daily. In addition, since Israel has been acquitted in the ICR of “genocide ” I am wondering if there may be legitimate grounds for those fighting Jew-Hatred and menacing, threatening anti-Zionism to file defamation and/or libel suits against those individuals and groups that are spewing not only mis- and disinformation about Israel’s conduct which are inciting calls for genocide against Jews in Israel and the Diaspora. I will leave that up to the legal beagles to discern, but believe me, I am asking for my friends and my family who are facing a growing existential threat which must be challenged and nipped in the bud after October 7th…Something to think about….