Human Rights Watch head fetes South Africa for taking Israel to court

The head of Human Rights Watch is praising South Africa for bringing Israel’s military campaign against Hamas to the ICJ, saying the international community should be responsible for ensuring that Israel complies with any judicial decision.

“South Africa is providing important leadership here. It’s really using this important opportunity,” Tirana Hassan, executive director of Human Rights Watch, tells Reuters.

“If Israel does not comply with the measures or orders of the court, then it is up to the international community to ensure that they are leveraging whatever pressure that they can to encourage Israel to actually implement the measures,” she says.

Human Rights Watch, which released its World Report today outlining abuses around the globe, accused Israel last night of using the starvation of civilians as a means of warfare in the Gaza Strip, which constitutes a war crime. Israel has vigorously denied the charge, with truckloads of aid allowed into the Strip daily.

“In the throes of this war, what we have seen is consistent, flagrant violations of international humanitarian law,” Hassan says. “We were able to document elements of this one crime — the crime of starvation.”

She calls for “unfettered humanitarian access” to Gaza.

Israel says aid deliveries must be inspected for fear they will be used to smuggle arms or defensive aid to Hamas or other terror groups in the Strip.