Although whether the ruling can be enforced remains in question, a refusal by Israel to implement the International Court of Justice’s decision that it must “immediately halt its military offensive and any other action in the Rafah Governorate” will only further isolate the nation.
That it was South Africa, a nation that has no conflict of interest with Israel, that filed a case with the ICJ against Israel in December and further requested provisional measures on May 10, the day after the Israeli Cabinet approved the enlargement of the military operation in Rafah, further shows Israel has lost any moral grounds for its military operations.
Further, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2730 on Friday condemning disinformation, information manipulation, and incitement to violence against aid workers and UN personnel. It didn’t cite Israel by name, but the UN report that followed mentioned that “The war in Gaza alone has claimed the lives of over 224 humanitarians, including over 190 UNRWA (the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees) and other UN agencies’ personnel.” There were 14″yes” votes and only one abstention, even the US voted in favor of it.
From all aspects, Israel is now in an extremely isolated position. That reminds the public about the words of then Israeli ambassador to the UN Gabriela Shalev in 2010 that her nation was “the most isolated, lonely country in the world”, but as the latest development shows that is a result of its own deeds.
Shalev said then that the biggest threat to Israel’s existence is international attempts to delegitimize it. But the mainstream international society has never questioned its legitimacy; neither does it face any invasion of foreign troops on its borders. On the contrary, with the loss of over 35,000 lives in the latest round of its conflict with the Palestinians, Israel is threatening the survival of the people in Gaza by continuing its military operations in Rafah.
Whether to live and let live by halting the military operations or to continue bloodshed by ignoring the order of the ICJ, the choice lies in Israel’s hands. That will decide whether it will continue carrying the title of “most isolated nation of the world” and pay the relevant price.