The meeting is expected to result in the formation of “The Hague Group,” with participants announcing coordinated legal, economic, and diplomatic measures to hold Israel accountable for alleged violations of international law, including its actions in Gaza. A press conference, organised by the Progressive International, is scheduled for later today.
The participating nations, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal, and South Africa, bring with them a track record of actions against Israel.
These include severing diplomatic ties, recalling ambassadors, maritime bans, and legal actions at the ICC and International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“Israel’s violations extend beyond the persecution of Palestinians; they undermine the foundations of international law,” said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. “The global community has a duty to act.”
The initiative builds on actions such as South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel for alleged breaches of the Genocide Convention and Chile’s referral of the situation in Palestine to the ICC.
Other nations, like Namibia, have taken bold stances, with Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab asserting, “Palestinian lives matter. We cannot be selective about protecting human rights.”
Progressive International Co-General Coordinator Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla described the group’s formation as a response to global impunity. “The Hague Group is born of necessity. Justice, equality, and human rights must prevail over exceptionalism.”
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola, emphasized the preventive nature of the measures, stating, “This marks a turning point in the global response to lawlessness. No nation is above the law, and no crime will go unanswered.”
The Hague, known as the “City of Peace and Justice,” serves as a symbolic venue for the coalition’s formation. Home to the ICC and ICJ, it underscores the nations' call for a rules-based global order.
The coalition’s coordinated actions signal an escalation in the international response to Israel’s conduct, amidst growing pressure on global institutions to enforce accountability.
