Brazil asks UN court to declare Israel’s blockade of Gaza illegal
Brazil asked the International Court of Justice—the main court of the United Nations (UN)—in The Hague on Tuesday (Apr. 29) to declare illegal the blockade imposed by Israel against the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, which has lasted more than 50 days.
“Brazil maintains and expects the court to recognize that all the measures systematically adopted by Israel to prevent or hinder the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations, and other states in the occupied Palestinian territory flagrantly violate not only the Palestinian right to self-determination, but also other fundamental obligations under international law,” said Brazil’s ambassador to the court, Marcelo Viegas.
The court is holding hearings on an action brought by the UN General Assembly asking the court to rule on Israel’s obligations to “guarantee and facilitate the unhindered entry of urgent supplies essential for the survival of the Palestinian civilian population.”
The Brazilian representative argued there was no reason for the court not to rule on the issue and said that Israel could not refuse to comply with its obligations under international law.
“As the occupying power [of the Palestinian territories] and as a member of the United Nations, Israel is obliged to facilitate and enable UN operations in the occupied Palestinian territories. It cannot interfere in, or obstruct the exercise of this mandate, which was established by the General Assembly,” he said.
He also criticized the laws ed in Israel banning the activities of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), pointing out that the institution is “the backbone of the UN’s humanitarian operations for Palestinian refugees,” providing education, medical care, social services, and emergency assistance to more than 6 million people.
“Its presence and work are even more urgent in the current context of near-total destruction in Gaza, where it serves more than 2 million people. We emphasize that this constitutes a flagrant violation of international law,” he added.
Israel has said it will not send a representative to the court, accusing it of persecution. The court’s advisory opinion does not generate any practical obligations for Israel, which continues to fail to comply with various decisions by UN bodies, including the Security Council, which is the only one that can use force against other countries.
