White House on ICJ ruling: Our position on Rafah is ‘clear and consistent’

In response to Friday’s International Court of Justice ruling, a White House National Security Council spokesperson says that “we’ve been clear and consistent on our position on Rafah,” without elaborating.

The significant but somewhat ambiguous ICJ ruling calls on Israel to halt military operations in Rafah that would risk the destruction of the civilian population sheltering there. According to the interpretation of four judges, the order is a limited one instructing Israel not to violate the Genocide Convention in Rafah, not halt its military operations there altogether.

The US administration has repeatedly stated it opposes a major Israeli offensive in Rafah, with President Joe Biden pausing a shipment of bombs over concerns Israel might use them as part of the operation, while National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said this week that Israel’s military activities have not reached the level Washington warned against.