ISRAEL will face diplomatic and economic sanctions from a league of countries which have unveiled a raft of measures to punish the country for its conduct in Palestine.
Representatives from a host of countries announced the formation of The Hague Group in the Dutch city on Friday – which will spearhead an international movement to stand against Israel for what they said were its repeated war crimes in Gaza.
In a statement, The Hague Group said: "We, the representatives from the governments of Belize, plurinational state of Bolivia, Republic of Colombia, Republic of Cuba, Republic of Honduras, Malaysia, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Senegal and Republic of South Africa in The Hague, Netherlands, on this 31st day of January 2025, inaugurate The Hague Group."
At a press conference attended by representatives from all nations, the group announced its aims to:
- Uphold the arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant
- Prevent the "provision or transfer of arms" or any military kit to Israel that "might be used" to commit war crimes or genocide
- Prevent "vessels at any port" in their countries "if there is a clear risk of the vessel being used to carry military fuel and weaponry to Israel" in the same circumstances as above.
The statement was read out by Zane Dangor, director-general of South Africa’s department of international relations.
He said the countries will refuse "to remain passive in the face of such international crimes" by Israel.
The group has also invited other countries to join the initiative. "We invite all states to take all possible actions and policies to end Israel’s occupation of the state of Palestine," the statement read.
"We will take further effective measures to end Israeli occupation of the state of Palestine and remove obstacles to the realisation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent state of Palestine."
The statement published in full online references several rulings to back up the position of the group such as the orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of South Africa v Israel of December 29, 2023, which reflect “a serious concern about the perpetration of crimes of genocide in Palestine”.
An average of 100 Palestinians are thought to have been killed every day since October 7, 2023.
Representatives from all nations involved made speeches at a press conference in The Hague.
Yvonne Dausab, Namibia’s minister of justice, said: “We must protect the integrity of the ceasefire."
Citing Namibia’s refusal to let an Israeli vessel dock in the country, she added: "We call on all other states to take the same position in compliance with international law."
Alvin Botes, deputy minister of South Africa’s department of international relations, said that the ICJ ruling on the Israeli occupation of Palestine proved that Israel "is an apartheid state".
The countries involved The Hague Group have already taken actions against Israel.
Malaysia has implemented a maritime ban on Israel-affiliated vessels, preventing them from docking at any Malaysian port, while also maintaining no diplomatic ties with Israel.
Colombia, Belize and Bolivia have all severed diplomatic links with Israel, while Namibia blockaded a vessel carrying military shipments destined for Israel.
Speakers argued the programme of actions was designed to put pressure on other nations to end the "exceptionalism" of Israel under international law.
Isaura Cabanas Vera, Cuba's charge d'affaires in the Netherlands, warned that the rules-based order would "crumble" if America continued to allow Israel to act with "impunity".
Roberto Calzadilla Sarmiento, Bolivian ambassador to the Netherlands, criticised Israel’s allies for what he said are attempts to "undermine" the independence of institutions like the ICJ.
Palestine's ambassador to Israel, Ammar Hijazi, criticised "so-called democracies" sanctioning non-governmental organisations – a reference to Israel's attempts to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa), which acts as a key conduit for aid for Palestinians.
He said that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas earlier this month did not mean that the "egregious crimes of the occupier" had ended and said that the "racist and dangerous notion of exceptionalism" enjoyed by Israel meant it was "used to being placed above humanity".
