Introduction
Hello and welcome to the Israeli citizen spokesperson’s office.
I’m Eylon Levy. Today is May 26th, 2024. It is day 233 of the October 7th war.
Recent Developments
In just the last hour, Hamas fired rockets from the Gaza Strip towards the greater Tel Aviv area, setting off sirens. The rockets were fired from the city of Rafa, as Hamas uses Rafa as a base for attacking Israel. There is an intense international campaign to force Israel to stop its military operations in Rafa and create a safe zone for Hamas to keep attacking Israel’s people, but this campaign is not based in law or fact.
International Court of Justice Ruling
I want to give you some news about Rafa that may surprise you. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled last Friday that Israel can continue to pursue the Hamas terror regime everywhere in Gaza, including in Rafa. You might have heard the opposite happened, as these were the headlines just two days ago:
- New York Times: “Top UN court orders Israel to halt its assault on Rafa”
- Washington Post: “UN’s top court rules that Israel must immediately halt Rafa offensive”
- CNN: “UN’s top court orders Israel to halt its operation in Rafa immediately”
These headlines are wrong. The media got it wrong. Here’s what really happened at the ICJ: The government of South Africa asked the ICJ to demand that Israel halt its military operations in Gaza and withdraw its forces, leaving Hamas on its feet and the hostages there. The ICJ rejected South Africa’s request. However, the court used vague language in its ruling, stating that Israel must “immediately halt its military offensive and any other action in the Rafa government which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.”
Israel’s response was clear: we are not taking any action that could create such conditions. In fact, we are sending in massive amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza to avoid such a reality, urging Palestinians to evacuate Hamas strongholds. This is a war against Hamas, not the people of Gaza.
Misinterpretations and Criticisms
The ICJ warned Israel not to do something it is not doing anyway and is committed to not doing. This isn’t just my opinion. Two of the judges who voted in favor of the ruling, Judge Nter from Germany and Judge Aresu from Romania, understood their own ruling to mean that it does not pertain to Israeli actions that do not risk violating the genocide convention. None of Israel’s actions do risk that.
One of the dissenting judges, Judge Julia Sebutinde from Uganda, was even more critical. She warned that the court’s wording could be misunderstood or misconstrued as ordering an indefinite unilateral ceasefire and criticized the court for micromanaging the hostilities in Gaza, which isn’t its job.
Continued Israeli Operations
In other words, the ICJ did not order Israel to unilaterally cease its campaign. Judge ad hoc Aharon Barak of Israel also wrote a dissenting opinion, stating that Israel is not prevented from carrying out its operation in Rafa against Hamas and to bring the hostages home, as long as Israel’s operation doesn’t violate the genocide convention, which it obviously does not. He criticized South Africa for not mentioning the threat posed by Hamas or the situation of the hostages, highlighting that South Africa is acting as the legal arm of the Hamas terror organization.
Media Misinterpretations and ICJ’s Bias
The ICJ did not tell Israel to stop the campaign to bring down Hamas and rescue the hostages, but it gave ammunition to those demanding that Israel create a safe zone for Hamas to continue its atrocities. Hamas read those headlines and was encouraged to keep attacking Israel from Rafa, as evidenced by the recent missile attack on Tel Aviv.
Legal and Political Implications
Israel has the right to defend itself from this threat. It is implausible to suggest that it is illegal for Israel to neutralize the threat of missiles on Tel Aviv or to rescue the hostages. This interpretation of the ICJ’s ruling is not plausible. Yet, millions of people now think the ICJ ruled that Israel has no right to rescue its hostages in Rafa or pursue the Hamas terror regime. This mistake must be corrected.
ICJ and Judge Salam’s Bias
The ICJ has turned itself into a biased political show trial. Exhibit A: the president of the court, Judge Nabil Elaraby. Judge Elaraby is a former Lebanese diplomat and was Lebanon’s ambassador to the United Nations. He should have recused himself due to his public bias against Israel. He has expressed his opinion about Israel many times, told lies about Israel, and promoted the views of Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian terrorist serving life sentences in Israeli prison.
Consequences of a Biased ICJ Ruling
A judge who has publicly attacked the defendant cannot be a fair judge in any court. Judge Elaraby must recuse himself immediately. All fair-minded people and states must demand that he recuse himself from this show trial. The ICJ’s reputation is at stake.
Operational Realities in Rafa
The ICJ ruling required Israel to keep the Rafa border crossing open. However, Egypt has closed the Rafa crossing and blocked aid from entering Gaza. The ICJ ruling did not address Egypt’s role. Last Friday, Egypt agreed under US pressure to let aid into Gaza, but not through Rafa. Instead, it allowed aid to reach Israel to be sent through the Kerem Shalom crossing, which Hamas attacks regularly.
Strategic Implications of the ICJ’s Ruling
The ICJ is effectively giving Hamas strategic military advice. The ICJ should be pressuring Hamas, not Israel. Israel will not stop its just war to bring back hostages, destroy Hamas’s military capabilities, and ensure Gaza cannot threaten Israel again.
Call to Action
Thank you for following us on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms. We’ll now take questions. Please submit your questions in the comments.
Q&A Session
Question from Randy Perry on Instagram: How long is it expected to take to search out and eliminate all the rocket launchers from Rafa or Gaza in general?
Answer: The IDF believes that Rafa is the last place in Gaza where Hamas has a serious stockpile of weapons. The operation’s timeline is not fixed, but the targets are clear: destroy Hamas’s governing and military capabilities and bring back the hostages. Israel is committed to international law and keeping civilians safe.
Question from Instagram: What’s happening on the northern border?
Answer: Since October 8th, Hezbollah has been attacking Northern Israel daily, forcing evacuations and destroying homes. Israel is under attack on multiple fronts, including from Palestinian terrorists, Iranian proxies, and Hezbollah. Israel is warning Hezbollah to back off or face military pressure.
Question from Bob Luck on Instagram: What incentives are leading Egypt to keep the Rafa crossing closed?
Answer: Egypt pressured Israel not to enter Rafa, and Israel discovered 50 tunnels crossing from Rafa into Egyptian territory. Egypt benefits from corrupt kickbacks on aid trucks, making them unhappy with Israel opening new crossings. The world hasn’t criticized Egypt for blocking Rafa as it has criticized Israel.
Question from Shiri on Instagram: What is your opinion about the vandalism of a cinema in the UK ahead of a screening of a film about the Nova Music Festival Massacre?
Answer: It’s horrific to see people trying to cover up evidence of Hamas’s atrocities. Pro-Hamas mobs have been denying or glorifying the atrocities since October 7th. We need to show the truth to ensure support for Israel’s fight against Hamas and to prevent future atrocities.
Question from Claudia: How can non-Jews support Israel and show solidarity?
Answer: Thank you, Claudia. Many Israelis and Jews feel isolated and abandoned. We need more supporters to stand with us. Support Israel by sharing our stories, posting on social media, and speaking up for Israel’s right to defend itself. Help your Jewish friends, join conversations, and spread the truth.
Common Questions: How are you? How can we support you? How can we join the Israeli citizen spokesperson’s office?
Answer: Thank you for your support. Tune in daily at 3:00 PM Israel time, 8:00 AM Eastern time, and amplify our message. If you’re in Israel and interested in joining, send your CV to the Israeli citizen spokesperson’s office on Instagram and Twitter. We need your help to spread the truth.
Conclusion
Thank you for joining us. We will continue with another briefing tomorrow. Please follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Stay safe. Thank you.
