ICJ orders Israel to submit fence arguments by end of January

[Scurrilous]

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/386758.html

<snip>

"The International Court of Justice, which sits in The Hague, has ordered Israel to submit in writing its arguments on the separation fence by the end of the month, thereby rejecting Israel's requests to postpone the final date for submitting its arguments, the Foreign Ministry's legal adviser Dr. Allan Baker said Sunday.


Baker, who heads the legal team preparing for the fence hearings, said that starting February 23, Israeli representatives would be able to appear before the court and present their verbal arguments. He said that there has been no decision yet whether Israel would respond verbally to the Arabs' arguments against the fence."

[Blitz]

1. Or what?

Or nothing:

Professor Lapidot said that the court's opinion was not binding, and that even if the UN General Assembly decides to sanction Israel following the court's ruling, it would only be a recommendation, and that only the UN Security Council was authorized to impose sanctions.


The real question is whether Israel should waste it's people's resources by participating in this farce. A court with no authority to do anything is a debating society. Maybe Israel should send a high school team.

[JohnLocke]

2. Great stuff, Blitz.

A court with no authority to do anything is a debating society. Maybe Israel should send a high school team.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Some leading Israelis aren't so cavalier about this, my good man

From the BBC Online
Dated Sunday January 4

Israel faces "barrier boycott"

The Israeli barrier has been condemned around the world
The Israeli Justice Minister has warned the government should re-examine the route of its controversial West Bank barrier to avoid international boycott.
Tommy Lapid said Israel risked being treated like apartheid-era South Africa over the barrier aimed to separate Israelis from Palestinians.
The barrier has been condemned by a number of countries around the world . . . .
Mr Lapid reportedly told a cabinet meeting that Israel should "have another look" at the route of the barrier, which at times cuts deep into the Palestinian territory and would affect hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
He warned that the upcoming hearings by the International Court of Justice at The Hague over the legality of the barrier could be the first step in Israel being treated like apartheid-era South Africa.

Read more.

Mr. Lapid hardly sounds like knee-jerk anti-Israeli propagandist.

[tinnypriv]

5. Shas ain't too fond of him

Accusations of "kowtowing to foreigners" by MK Yishai is one recent comment against him, in Israel.¹ No doubt since in internal discussion Lapid has concluded the fence is "totally indefensible".

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1. Ma'ariv, 18 Jan 2004.

[Jim Sagle]

4. Israel to ICJ: "Ppppfffffffffffffffffffffbbbbbbbtttttttttttt!!!"

[Forkboy]

6. "Israel to World: "Ppppfffffffffffffffffffffbbbbbbbtttttttttttt!!!""