A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court urging the Indian government to halt the export of arms and military equipment to Israel. The PIL, presented by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, follows a recent decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on January 26, 2024, which imposed provisional measures against Israel.
The ICJ's ruling addressed violations by Israel in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing concerns over breaches of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The PIL highlights that India is obligated by various international laws and treaties to refrain from supplying military weapons to states accused of war crimes. The petition argues that continuing exports could result in these arms being used in violations of international humanitarian law.
Filed by 11 individuals, including Ashok Kumar Sharma from Noida, the petition seeks a directive to cancel existing licences and prevent new ones for exporting military equipment to Israel.
The petitioners argue that these actions are inconsistent with India’s international legal commitments and constitutional provisions related to equality and protection of life.
The ICJ's provisional measures call for an immediate cessation of military actions by Israel in Gaza. The United Nations has also issued warnings against transferring weapons to Israel, citing concerns that such actions could contribute to human rights violations and potentially international crimes.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant loss of life, with thousands of Palestinians killed. This escalated after an attack on October 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen breached Gaza’s border into Israel, causing numerous casualties.
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