Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in Melbourne and Sydney over the weekend to condemn Israel’s military actions in Gaza and urge the Albanese government to cut ties with the Netanyahu administration. These protests followed a string of diplomatic reprimands against Israel. On Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to halt any actions in Rafah that might lead to the physical destruction of Palestinians there. While this order is binding, the ICJ lacks enforcement power, and Israel is unlikely to comply.

The conflict has led to significant loss of life and a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Since Israel intensified its operations in Rafah, over 800,000 Palestinians have fled the city. In response to the ICJ’s ruling, Peter Wertheim of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry defended Israel’s military actions as necessary to combat Hamas, while Nasser Mashni of the Australian Palestinian Action Network called for sanctions and other measures against Israel.

In a related development, Norway handed over papers to recognize a Palestinian state, joining Ireland and Spain in a diplomatic move that has increased Israel’s isolation. This step, taken in Brussels, aims to support Palestinian statehood in territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. These nations’ recognition is set for Tuesday and adds to the ongoing international discourse on the Israel-Palestine conflict.