UNRWA and the Hamas – Israel war
By Dr Anthony Bergin (senior fellow at Strategic Analysis Australia) and prof. Gregory Rose (research Director thinc.) It is time to look to arrangements for the day after UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians in the Near East) is dismantled. UNRWA is the largest aid body operating in Gaza, where it has […]
The International Court of Justice critical of Israel, but rejects demands for cease-fire in Gaza
Written by Andrew Tucker, thinc. Last week the International Court of Justice issued its ruling on “provisional measures” in the case brought in The Hague by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide of the Palestinian people.The Court did not grant South Africa’s request for a cease-fire in Gaza. But the Court did accept there is […]
The United Nations and International Law in the Hamas-Israel War
By Dr. Matthijs de Blois, Senior Fellow, thinc. Short summary: On October 7, 2023, the holiday of Simchat Torah, Hamas terrorists and other Palestinian Islamist groups, such as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel. The cruelty of the violence against soldiers and innocent civilians, including babies, children and elderly people, is […]
South Africa claims that Israel is committing “genocide”
By Andrew Tucker (Director at thinc.) and Grace Keathly (Research Assistant at thinc.) On December 29, 2023, the Republic of South Africa brought a claim to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, alleging that Israel is committing genocide of the Palestinian people and that Israeli leaders are inciting the State of Israel […]
Clash of civilisations: West needs to hit Iran where it hurts the most
Picture above: Iran’s army naval forces fire a ground-to-sea missile in the Sea of Oman, near Jask, southern Iran. By GREG ROSE and ANTHONY BERGIN. Gregory Rose is a professor of international law at the University of Wollongong and Research Director at thinc.. Anthony Bergin is a senior fellow at Strategic Analysis Australia. In a […]
Israel-Hamas locked in ‘data war’ over true mortality figures
Picture above: Smoke billows over Khan Yunis from Rafah in the southern Gaza strip during an Israeli bombardment. By GREGORY ROSE and LEWI STONE. Gregory Rose is professor of international law at the University of Wollongong and Research Director at thinc. Lewi Stone is professor of mathematics at RMIT University. The war launched by Hamas on October 7 […]
South Africa sues Israel for genocide in The Hague – a classic case of “illegitimate lawfare”
By Andrew Tucker. Israel has been on trial in the international courts in The Hague for decades. The latest development in this saga is that South Africa has filed a case on 29th December 2023 with the International Court of Justice against Israel. South Africa claims that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. It requests […]
A Shameful Resolution
By Dr. Mathijs de Blois (thinc. Senior fellow) On 27 October 2023, the UN General Assembly (GA), meeting in the framework of the since 1997 ongoing 10th Emergency Special Session, adopted a Resolution on the war that started with the atrocious attack by Hamas and similar terrorist groups on 7 October 2023 on Israeli soil. […]
Proportionality and the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas cum suis
By Matthijs de Blois. The brutal surprise attack on Israel and its citizens by Hamas and other Islamist militants shocked at least part of the world. The cruelty of the violence against innocent civilians, including babies, children and elderly people is almost beyond comprehension. Many agree that Israel has under international law the inherent right […]
First legal reflections on the Hamas attack on Israel
Is Gaza a state? Many would not agree that Gaza is a State. That does not take away the responsibility of Hamas or other terrorist groups, as well as their members under international law. Also non-state actors are bound by international humanitarian law.
Israel at war: Condemn Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Stop All Financial Support
October 7th , 2023 The Hague Initiative for International Cooperation (thinc.) is a global legal community that promotes the rule of law, peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and justice and security in the Middle East. As a response to this morning’s massacres and illegal terrorist attacks on Israeli villages and cities, October 7th, 2023, […]
30 years after Oslo
By Andrew Tucker, Director, thinc. Israeli-Saudi normalization should not be made conditional on Palestinian statehood As part of the realignment of its global position, the United States is negotiating with Saudi Arabia in the hope of achieving an “Abraham Accord” between the Saudi monarchy and Israel. Israel is being pressured to accept the establishment of […]
The Oslo tragedy
Thirty years ago, the State of Israel signed a series of agreements with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO). Where are we at right now?
Let the Nations Ascend to Jerusalem
Why we should urge our respective national governments to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Recent developments in lawfare
Introduction “Lawfare” is the use and misuse of law and legal systems to advance political and military interests. Not all lawfare is illegitimate. But using law to destroy a UN member state is definitely unacceptable. The fact is that there are many actors on the international stage that aim to either destroy or hurt the […]
Three reasons Australia should help protect the International Court of Justice
By Greg Rose, research director thinc. Australia did the right thing in late December and voted against a very problematic and controversial resolution of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The UNGA resolution in question requested an international legal ruling on sanctions to be imposed on Israel by UN Member States. The request went to […]
Don’t politicize the World Court just to trash Israel
An Op-ed by Andrew Tucker, Gregory Rose and David Benger in ‘The Hill’
The United Nations, international law and “lawfare”
Highlights of the Israel on Trial Conference 2023 – Greg Rose, thinc.
Israel and the UN: how the UN works, and how and why Israel is marginalized
Highlights of the Israel on Trial Conference 2023 – Hillel Neuer, UN Watch
The ICJ, Israel and the request for an Advisory Opinion
Why the ICJ should not render an Advisory Opinion on the Israeli Occupation Introduction On 30th December 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution (77/247) requesting the International Court of Justice to render an advisory opinion on the following questions: On 3rd February 2023, the Court invited all UN member states to make written submissions to […]
