Page 5 - aruba-today-20220308

A5
WORLD NEWS Tuesday 8 March 2022
Russia snubs U.N. court hearings in case brought by Ukraine

THE HAGUE, Netherlands “Ukraine emphatically de-
(AP) — Ukraine pleaded nies that any such geno-
with the United Nations’ cide has occurred, and
top court Monday to order that the Russian Federa-
Russia to halt its devastat- tion has any lawful basis to
ing invasion, saying Mos- take action in and against
cow is already committing Ukraine for the purpose of
widespread war crimes preventing and punishing
and “resorting to tactics genocide,” the country
reminiscent of medieval said in its claim to the court.
siege warfare” in its 12-day- Even before the hearing,
old military onslaught. Donoghue sent a message
Russia snubbed the Inter- to Russia’s foreign minis-
national Court of Justice ter on March 1 pressing
hearings and its seats in home the necessity to act
the Great Hall of Justice re- “ in such a way as will en-
mained empty. able any order the Court
On a lawn outside the may make on the request
court’s headquarters, for provisional measures
the Peace Palace in The to have its appropriate ef-
Hague, a protester placed fects.”
colored candles spelling Jonathan Gimblett, a
out the words: “Putin Come member of Ukraine’s legal
out.” A small group of pro- Candles are set in the grass with the text ‘Putin Come Out’ in front of the International Criminal team, highlighted the ur-
Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday, March 7, 2022.
testers holding Ukrainian Associated Press gency of Ukraine’s case,
flags chanted antiwar slo- saying Moscow’s “military
gans outside the building’s court because of a gro- halt to fighting as Ukraine ent legal arguments on aggression could have re-
gates. Ukrainian represen- tesque lie and to seek pro- requested, “I think the Tuesday was canceled. sulted in a new nuclear
tative Anton Korynevych tection from the devastat- chance of that happen- Korynevych condemned catastrophe affecting not
told judges at the Inter- ing consequences of that ing is zero,” said Terry Gill, Moscow’s snub. only Ukraine or Russia, but
national Court of Justice: lie,” David Zionts told the a professor of military law “The fact that Russian seats potentially a vast surround-
“Russia must be stopped court. “The lie is the Rus- at the University of Amster- are empty speaks loudly,” ing area.”
and the court has a role to sian Federation’s claim of dam. He noted that if a na- he said. “They are not here He added that Russia, “to-
play in stopping it.” genocide in Ukraine. The tion does not abide by the in this court of law. They day is resorting to tactics
Ukraine has asked the consequences are unpro- court’s order, judges could are on a battlefield waging reminiscent of medieval
court to order Russia to “im- voked aggression, cities seek action from the United aggressive war against my siege warfare, encircling
mediately suspend the mili- under siege, civilians under Nations Security Council, country.” cities, cutting off escape
tary operations” launched fire, humanitarian catastro- where Russia holds a veto. The request for so-called routes and pounding the
Feb. 24 “that have as their phe and refugees fleeing Donoghue said Russia’s provisional measures is civilian population with
stated purpose and ob- for their lives.” ambassador to the Neth- linked to a case Ukraine heavy ordnance.”
jective the prevention and A decision on Ukraine’s re- erlands, Alexander Shulgin, has filed based on the The success of Ukraine’s
punishment of a claimed quest is expected within informed judges that “his Genocide Convention. request will depend on
genocide” in the separatist days. The court’s president, government did not intend Both countries have ratified whether the court accepts
eastern regions of Luhansk American judge Joan E. to participate in the oral the 1948 treaty, which has it has “prima facie jurisdic-
and Donetsk. Donoghue, said the judges proceedings.” a clause allowing nations tion” in the case, which is
Lawyers for Kyiv dismissed would issue a decision “as Because of Russia’s refusal to take disputes based on not a guarantee that the
the Russian claim. soon as possible.” to participate in the hear- its provisions to the Hague- court ultimately would pro-
“Ukraine comes to this If the court were to order a ings, Moscow’s turn to pres- based court. ceed with the suit. q

Syria: 2 civilians killed in Israeli airstrike near Damascus

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — It gave no further details or and Ukraine. Israeli Prime
Israel fired several missiles say how the civilians were Minister Naftali Bennett has
toward Syrian military po- killed. also assumed the unlikely
sitions near the capital of Israel did not comment on role of mediator between
Damascus Monday, killing the attack and rarely ac- Russia and Ukraine.
two civilians and causing knowledges such opera- Monday’s attack was the
material damage, Syria’s tions. But it has launched first since Russia invaded
defense ministry said. It was hundreds of strikes on tar- Ukraine on Feb. 24, spark-
the first Israeli attack inside gets inside government- ing the current war.
Syria since Russia, a key controlled parts of Syria On that same day, three
backer of President Bashar during its past decade of Syrian soldiers were killed in
Assad, invaded Ukraine. civil war. an Israeli attack near Da-
The Syrian defense ministry Israel relies on Russia for mascus.
said Israeli warplanes flying security coordination in Israel says that its strikes in-
over neighboring Lebanon Syria, where Russia has a side Syria target bases of
fired the missiles toward strong military presence, Iran-allied militias, such as
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syria, adding that Syrian air pushing Israel’s prime min- Lebanon’s Hezbollah, that
people inspect damage after an Israeli airstrike near Damascus, defenses shot down most ister to search for middle fight on the side of Assad’s
Syria, Monday, March 7, 2022.
Associated Press of the missiles. ground between Russia forces.q