Contributed by Jim Hayes

The international Court of Justice ICJ) has no called on Israel to stop its slaughter in Gaza. The 15 judges were unanimous in the call they made last Thursday. Their orders included that Israel ensures “its military des not commit act” that breach the genocide convention “including by preventing, through any action, the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance.”

The court has yet to make a ruling on the allegation brought to it by South Africa, that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. But it did decide in the first hearing that the allegation is “plausible” and warrant further investigation.

Developments have added further weight to the charge of genocide.

Gaza is on the brink of deliberately induced mass starvation and disease. There isn’t enough water of medicines. Aid is still being mostly stopped by the Israeli Defence Force on instructions from the Israeli government. Attacks on journalists, health professionals, the destruction of hospital and medical facilities have increased and become more ferocious.

Now we have the attack on foreign aid workers that killed at least seven of them. One of them is Australian Zomi Frankcom. Citizens of Britain, Poland, and Canada were among the dead. This can’t be put off as an accident. It fits into the strategy being used. These aid workers were with the charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) and there to help feed the hungry.

Photos by Abdelhakim Abu Riash: Vehicles belonging to clearly marked Word Central Kitchen were fired upon and the occupants were killed

But the Israeli state wants the Palestinians to be isolated, to go hungry, so as o inflict the maximum blow. The world, including the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for an immediate investigation. This is all well and good, except that hat is needed is an independent investigation. An Israeli investigation will only whitewash the incident.

The aid workers were in liaison with the IDF all along, which means they knew where they were. They still bombed the building these aid workers were in.

Although the Unite States has joined in the condemnation of the attack, it continues to supply the weapons and bombs being used and dropped in Gaza. This includes the 900 kilogram super bombs designed to flatten populate areas. The extent to which US military personnel are involved I unknown. In other words, the United States is complicit in what Israeli s doing to Gaza and its people.

Nevertheless, Israels growing international isolation and calls for action to put a stop to the slaughter are growing and creating political difficulty for the aggressors and their enablers. The consequence is loss of political legitimacy and therefore loss of influence on the global political stage.

United States President Joe Biden finds himself in increasing difficulty in ducking and weaving and finding excuses for the killing. He’s compelled to somewhat distance himself from it. It’s likely to get still more difficult for him.

Here in Australia, we must pressure our government into doing far more than it has been willing to do so far, to become a voice not only for a ceasefire in Gaza. It must become a voice for a lasting peace, which can only come about if the Palestinians have the right to live as equals in their own home.