Australia, New Zealand, Canada call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza
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Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have urged "Israel" to adhere to the ICJ rulings against the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
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Smoke rises following an Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Tuesday, July 23, 2024. (AP)
Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and urged "Israel" to adhere to the International Court of Justice's ruling against its illegal occupation and settlements over Palestinian territories.
On Friday, the leaders of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand issued a statement saying, "The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas. It must end."
They stressed that "Israel" must heed concerns relayed by the international community.
The leaders further urged the occupation to prosecute extremist Israeli settlers for acts of violence perpetrated against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as well as reverse its West Bank settlement project and work toward the so-called "two-state solution."
On July 19, the ICJ's verdict ruled that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in 1967, i.e. al-Quds and the West Bank, amounts to "de facto annexation," with "Israel's" settlement activities violating international regulations. In this context, a senior Australian government official said the matter "can't be ignored."
The ICJ determined that "Israel's" continued presence in these areas is illegal and must end immediately. Furthermore, the ICJ declared that all states have a duty not to acknowledge the "legal legitimacy" of the situation created by this unlawful presence.
Australia says ICJ ruling on Israeli occupation can't be ignored
The Australian government is becoming increasingly concerned about "Israel's" "troubling pattern" of actions and has not ruled out a more robust response, including fines against settlers.
Despite "Israel's" claim that the verdict was "not legally binding" and "blatantly one-sided," an Australian government source stated that the ICJ's advisory opinion had "significant authority under international law."
The official told The Guardian Australia that the troubling pattern comes following the Knesset's rejection of a "two-state solution" and "ongoing acts of violence against Palestinians by extremist settlers and record expansion of settlements in the West Bank."
"As long as Israel continues to ignore these concerns, the international community will have no choice but to take action."
Australian sources cited that the government has not ruled out sanctions on settlers, as several allies have done. "Extremist settlers" who wish to visit Australia may also be denied visas, but the consequences would go further.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
