German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck criticized Israel for violating international law with its continued assaults on Rafah, marking him as the first prominent German official to condemn the Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip explicitly.
Speaking at a public event in Berlin, Habeck emphasized, “It must not do so. Israel, of course, must adhere to international law.”
This marks a noticeable change in tone from previous statements by senior members of the German government, who had cautioned against attacks on Rafah but had stopped short of direct accusations.
Habeck pointed out the severe impacts on the Palestinian population, stating, “The famine and suffering, along with the attacks in the Gaza Strip, are — as now evidenced in court — not compatible with international law.”
He reiterated, “Israel has indeed crossed a line there, and it must not do so.”
This comes after the International Court of Justice, the UN’s highest court, demanded on Friday that Israel “immediately halt its military offensive” in Rafah. Despite this, Israel escalated its military actions in Rafah on Saturday.
Josep Borrell, the European Union (EU) chief of foreign affairs, emphasized on Saturday that Israel must adhere to a recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) order regarding its military activities in Rafah, Gaza, as reported by dpa.
The ICJ, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, issued a directive on Friday demanding that Israel immediately halt its offensive in Rafah. Borrell, referencing the order on social media platform X, stated, “ICJ orders are binding on the Parties and they have to be fully and effectively implemented.”
