WASHINGTON, Friday, May 24, 2024 (WAFA) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today applauded a ruling by the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague ordering Israel to halt its attacks on Rafah in Gaza.
That court said the humanitarian situation in Rafah had “deteriorated further” since its previous court order, saying the situation there is “disastrous.” The court ruled 13-2 that Israel must immediately halt its military offensive and any other action in Rafah.
Nawaf Salam, the president of ICJ said: “Israel must take effective measures to ensure the unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission or investigative body mandated by the competent organs of the UN to investigate allegations of genocide.”
Israel has slaughtered more than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children. Some two million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced.
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said: “We applaud this binding order by the United Nations’ top court demanding an immediate end to Israel’s slaughter and forced displacement of Palestinian civilians in Rafah. While the Biden administration stands alone in continuing to offer full support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the international community is increasingly pushing back against the slaughter, forced starvation and ethnic cleansing Israel’s far-right government is inflicting on the Palestinian people.”
“Israel is clearly attempting to make Gaza uninhabitable. It must be stopped from completing this monstrous goal. President Biden must honor this important ruling by immediately ending all military assistance to Israel’s genocide,” added the CAIR National Executive Director.
Earlier this year, CAIR expressed its support for South Africa’s request to the ICJ to adopt emergency measures to protect Palestinian civilians after the Israeli attack on Rafah and its threats of depopulation and further attack on the city.
In December of last year, CAIR welcomed the launch of a case by South Africa in the United Nations’ top court accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, noted the statement.
This week, CAIR welcomed the recognition of the state of Palestine by Norway, Ireland and Spain, and called on the Biden administration to stop blocking that nation’s full United Nations membership.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
T.R.
