Lebanon’s PM-designate Nawaf Salam officially resigns from ICJ
The International Court of Justice has confirmed that Salam left his post as the president of the tribunal after being appointed as prime minister-designate in Lebanon.
As ICJ president, Salam read out the court’s ruling in May ordering Israel to “immediately halt its military offensive” in Rafah in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military ignored the top UN court’s decision and pushed on with a campaign that devastated the southern Gaza city, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians had been sheltering.
The ruling was part of South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians, which the ICJ is still litigating.
The UN Security Council and General Assembly will choose Salam’s successor.
Salam is currently consulting with Lebanon’s political forces to form a new government after lawmakers elected army chief Joseph Aoun as president last week.
The new Lebanese government will oversee a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Aoun had promised that the state would confront Israel’s “aggressions” in the south of the country.
Israel blows up homes in south Lebanon
Lebanon’s National News Agency reports that the Israeli military is carrying out large explosions in the villages of Meiss el-Jabal and Kfar Kila, destroying civilian homes.
The Israeli military has been launching daily attacks in Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire it reached with Hezbollah in November.
The deal stipulates that all Israeli forces must withdraw from Lebanon by January 25, but there have been growing concerns that Israel may not honour the deadline.
Macron to work on ‘full implementation of ceasefire’ during Lebanon visit: Elysee
The visit is set to be the first by a foreign head of state since Joseph Aoun was elected president last week.
In a statement, the Elysee Palace said the trip will be “an opportunity to work on the full implementation” of a ceasefire reached by Hezbollah and Israel in late November.
The 60-day agreement is set to run out at the end of the month. Hezbollah recently said it would continue fighting if Israel does not fulfil its agreement to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon by then.
Lebanon and the UN peacekeeping force stationed in the south of the country have accused Israel of repeated violations of the ceasefire.
In a recent complaint to the UN Security Council, Lebanon detailed more than 800 Israeli attacks by land and sea since the agreement was reached.
Essay Pro