From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 26, 2024
After ICJ ruling, PM says Israel in ‘just war’ against Hamas, will fight until ‘total victory’
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Israel rejects the “vile” attempt to deny its right to defend itself and will continue to battle Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares following a provisional ruling of the International Court of Justice calling on Jerusalem to take measures to prevent the commission of genocidal acts against Palestinians.
“Israel’s commitment to international law is unwavering. Equally unwavering is our sacred commitment to continue to defend our country and defend our people,” Netanyahu says in an English-language video posted online.
“The vile attempt to deny Israel this fundamental right is blatant discrimination against the Jewish state, and it was justly rejected. The charge of genocide leveled against Israel is not only false, it’s outrageous, and decent people everywhere should reject it,” he continues.
Declaring Hamas a “genocidal” organization, Netanyahu argues that Israel’s war is against “terrorists, not against Palestinian civilians,” adding that Hamas has vowed to repeat the “atrocities” of October 7 “again and again.”
Despite the war, “we will continue to facilitate humanitarian assistance, and to do our utmost to keep civilians out of harm’s way, even as Hamas uses civilians as human shields,” he says.
“On the eve of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I again pledge as prime minister of Israel — Never Again,” he states, promising to “continue to do what is necessary to defend our country and defend our people.”
Netanyahu’s office also issues a statement in Hebrew on the decision, saying Israel is fighting a “just war” against “the Hamas monsters who murdered, raped, beheaded and kidnapped our citizens.” Unlike the Hebrew version, the statement does not mention humanitarian aid.
“The very claim that Israel is carrying out genocide against Palestinians is not only false, it’s outrageous, and the willingness of the court to deliberate it at all is a mark of disgrace that will not be erased for generations,” the premier says.
He also vows Israel will keep fighting “until total victory, until we defeat Hamas, return all the captives and ensure that Gaza will not again be a threat to Israel.”
