South Africa, Malaysia, 7 other countries form new international power coalition group

The Government of Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa have formed a new coalition in the Hague, Netherlands under the name Hague Group with a commitment to end the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine

According to them, they are guided by the same purposes and principles as the Charter of the United Nations.

This was revealed in an inaugural joint statement released on January 31 stating that the main determination of the group is to fight against the violation of the rights of Palestinians by Israel.

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“The orders of the International Court of Justice in the case of South Africa v. Israel of 29 December 2023, which reflect a serious concern about the perpetration of crimes of genocide in Palestine, and noting the significant and diverse number of States that have joined as third States in the case, to demand the condemnation and immediate cessation of the ongoing genocide, the statement reads.

“the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024 on the ‘Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem’,

“and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice of 9 July 2004 ‘’Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory’’

“the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/Es-10/24, adopted on 18 September 2024 at the Tenth Emergency Special Session, which endorsed the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion of July 2024, and the commitments of member states to comply with the obligations under international law as reflected in the advisory opinion,

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“the International Criminal Court’s issuance on 21 November 2024 of warrants of arrest for indicating “reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant each bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population…the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare…and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts”.

“the order of the International Court of Justice in Nicaragua v. Germany of 30 April 2024 “remind[ing] all States of their international obligations relating to the transfer of arms to parties to an armed conflict, in order to avoid the risk that such arms might be used to violate” the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions in relation to Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the remainder of the Occupied Palestinian Territory,”

all the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, including resolution 2334 (2016) of 23 December 2016, which reaffirmed that “the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law”