Nine countries from Africa, Asia and Latin Americans formed The Hague Group, a coalition with the aim of launching a coordinated legal campaign against the Zionist Israel state’s illegal occupation of Palestine territories, and to hold it accountable to war crimes in Gaza.

Their first meeting was held in The Hague, The Netherlands on January 31. The Hague Group consists of South Africa, Belize, Cuba, Namibia, Bolivia, Honduras, Senegal, Colombia and Malaysia.

The group aims to uphold international humanitarian law and support the Palestinian people in their fight for self-determination and for an independent state.

In a unified statement, the coalition stated that it is guided by “the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and the responsibility of all nations to uphold inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination, that it enshrines for all peoples.”

The coalition refuses to “remain passive” regarding Israel’s international crimes amid its destroyed lives, livelihoods, communities and cultural heritage of the State of Palestine.

The coalition upholds the decision of the International Court of Justice in the South African vs Israel case released on December 29, 2023 which states deep concern over the ongoing genocide crime in Palestine, and other related court decisions in 2024.

It also upholds the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant because of reasonable grounds that they bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors … of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population (of Gaza). The court also pointed out that the indictment also has grounds that Netanyahu was also responsible for starvation as a method of warfare, and murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.

The coalition calls on all countries to respect the UN and ICC resolutions, especially the arrest warrant issued on November 21, 2024. It urged all countries to stop supplying arms, ammunition and other war equipment to Israel. They also called to prevent ships carrying weapons or fuel (fuel) bound for Isreal to land on their docks.

“We invite all states to take all possible actions and policies to end Israel’s occupation of the State of Palestine,” the group said.