Cardi
Good morning b83620679, I am Cardi, and this is Goose Pod just for you. Today is Friday, February 20th, and the time is 06:41. I am here with the one and only Elon to talk about some serious international drama involving Walid Jumblatt.
Elon
It is good to be here. We are looking at a very complex situation where legal frameworks and raw geopolitical power are clashing. Specifically, how the International Court of Justice responded to the crisis in Gaza and why some people feel they fell short.
Cardi
So, Walid Jumblatt, this big deal politician from Lebanon, he went on X and basically put the International Court of Justice on blast. He said they could not even bring themselves to demand a real ceasefire in Gaza. He said they just wished Israel would stop, and okurrr, that is just not enough.
Elon
Jumblatt is touching on a massive nerve. There is this fierce debate about whether the war in Gaza should be labeled as genocide. Some call it a bald-faced lie or even a modern blood libel that ignores what happened on October 7th, while others say the evidence is right there.
Cardi
It is crazy because everyone is arguing about words while people are suffering. Jumblatt is basically saying the court was toothless. Like, if you are the highest court in the world and you cannot tell people to stop shooting, what are you even doing there with those fancy robes?
Elon
The court is in a difficult position because it operates on very specific legal definitions. If they do not debunk these claims properly, future history books might focus entirely on the genocide allegations rather than the initial massacre of Israelis. It is a battle over the narrative of the entire century.
Cardi
I see those protests in London and everywhere else. People are screaming for an end to the genocide and for countries to stop sending weapons. Even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was at the Munich Security Conference saying US aid is basically funding this whole nightmare. It is getting really loud out there.
Elon
The signal-to-noise ratio is incredibly low right now. When high-profile politicians use these terms, it moves the needle of public opinion regardless of the legal reality. Jumblatt’s frustration reflects a growing sentiment in the Middle East that international institutions are failing to protect people when it actually matters.
Cardi
Honey, people are tired of the talk! They want action. When Jumblatt says the court only wished for things to change, it sounds like throwing a penny in a fountain and hoping for world peace. It does not pay the bills and it definitely does not stop the bombs from falling.
Elon
It is a visionary pragmatist's nightmare. You have these institutions designed for order, but they lack the enforcement mechanisms to actually create that order in real-time. We are seeing a breakdown where the rules of the game are being questioned by everyone involved, from Lebanon to the United States.
Cardi
And that is the tea! If the rules do not work for the people on the ground, they are just suggestions. Jumblatt is just saying what everyone else is thinking but is too scared to say on the record. It is messy, it is loud, and it is honestly heartbreaking for everyone.
Elon
To understand why Jumblatt is so frustrated, we have to look back at January 2024. South Africa took Israel to the International Court of Justice, alleging breaches of the Genocide Convention. It was a landmark move because the ICJ is basically the supreme court for nations, which is huge.
Cardi
I remember that! Everyone was glued to their phones waiting for the verdict. But when the ruling came out, it was like a giant maybe. They said it was plausible that genocide could happen, but they did not tell Israel to stop the war. I was like, what kind of answer is that?
Elon
The legal standard of plausibility is actually a very high bar to clear so quickly. The court voted sixteen to one on several measures. They ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide and to ensure humanitarian aid gets into Gaza. They even demanded a report on compliance within one month of the ruling.
Cardi
A report? If I do not pay my taxes, the government does not ask for a report on how I feel about it, they just come for me! It feels like the court is playing a game of polite suggestions while the whole house is on fire. Why is it so complicated to just say stop?
Elon
Because the ICJ does not have a police force. They rely on the UN Security Council to enforce their rulings. Also, they have to balance the right of a state to defend itself against the obligation to prevent genocide. It is a delicate legal tightrope that often leaves everyone feeling unsatisfied.
Cardi
But they have done this before, right? I heard they talked about the wall Israel built back in 2004. It feels like we are on a loop, Elon. Same court, same players, same problems, but the intensity just keeps turning up like a speaker about to blow out. It is exhausting to watch.
Elon
The 2004 advisory opinion was about the separation wall being illegal. But advisory is the key word there. This new case is different because it involves the Genocide Convention, which is a binding treaty. This is the first time Israel has been held formally accountable before the international rule of law like this.
Cardi
So, if it is binding, why are people still dying? I saw reports that over a thousand Palestinians were killed in just the two weeks after that ruling. If the court says prevent genocide and then more people die, does that mean the court is just getting ghosted by the whole world?
Elon
In a way, yes. The international community has failed to enforce the provisional measures. There is a massive gap between what the judges say in the Netherlands and what happens on the ground in Gaza. Even the International Criminal Court is getting involved now, issuing arrest warrants for top leaders.
Cardi
Wait, there is an ICJ and an ICC? That is too many letters for me. It is like trying to keep track of all the different versions of a song remix. Which one actually has the power to put someone in handcuffs, because that is what people are waiting for.
Elon
The ICC, the International Criminal Court, goes after individuals for war crimes. The ICJ deals with disputes between countries. Both are under immense pressure right now. The United States even sanctioned ICC officials recently to protect their interests. It is a high-stakes game of legal chess with lives on the line.
Cardi
Sanctioning the judges? That is like booing the ref because you do not like the foul he called! It just shows that when things get real, the people with the most money and the biggest planes still make the rules. Jumblatt was right to be skeptical about the whole thing working out.
Elon
The real conflict here is between realpolitik and justice. Realpolitik is the idea that power and national interest drive everything, while justice is supposed to be blind. The Global North, especially the US, is being accused of protecting Israel’s impunity while the Global South is rising up to demand accountability.
Cardi
It feels like a high school clique where the popular kids can do whatever they want and the rest of us just have to sit there and take it. The Global South is finally saying, no, we are not doing this anymore. South Africa leading this case was a huge statement for the whole world.
Elon
It was a message of anti-imperialism. By bringing this case, they forced the world to look at the distinction between military conduct and genocidal conduct. That line is blurring. Many argue that the siege and the conditions of life in Gaza are designed to destroy the group, which is the definition of genocide.
Cardi
But then you have people saying that calling it genocide is a lie that fuels antisemitism. It is like you cannot even have a conversation without someone getting canceled or attacked. How do we even find the truth when everyone is using the most extreme words possible to describe what is happening?
Elon
That is the challenge. The term genocide is the nuclear option of language. Once it is used, there is no middle ground. The conflict is not just on the battlefield, it is in the classrooms, the courtrooms, and on social media. We are losing the ability to have a rational discussion about security and rights.
Cardi
And while we are arguing about the dictionary, people are starving. There were reports about widespread famine and disease. If the court says you have to provide aid, and the aid is still blocked, who is responsible? Is it the people fighting, or the people who are letting it happen?
Elon
It is both. The court noted that Israel’s claims about facilitating aid were met with skepticism by the judges. The fact that the vote was sixteen to one on the aid issue shows that almost the entire world agrees that the humanitarian situation is unacceptable and must change immediately.
Cardi
Even the judge appointed by Israel voted for some of those measures! That tells you everything you need to know. When your own guy says, hey, we need to send in more bread and medicine, you know things have gone way off the rails. But the bombs keep falling anyway, okurrr!
Elon
The tension is also affecting third states. Countries that provide weapons to Israel are now looking at their own legal exposure. If a court says genocide is plausible, and you are still sending the missiles, you might be legally complicit. That is causing a lot of behind-the-scenes panic in Washington and Europe.
Cardi
I heard about that! Some US officials are actually stepping back from making decisions about arms because they do not want to end up in a courtroom ten years from now. It is like they are finally realizing that their actions have real consequences. Better late than never, I guess.
Elon
The impact on Israel’s global standing is also massive. This ruling associates them with the word genocide in the public sphere, much like how they have been associated with apartheid by groups like Amnesty International. It strengthens movements like BDS, which stands for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions. It is a branding disaster.
Cardi
Branding? Elon, we are talking about lives! But I get what you mean. Once people see you a certain way, it is hard to change their minds. It is like a celebrity getting a bad reputation; it follows you everywhere. Now, every time someone talks about Israel, this ICJ case is going to come up.
Elon
Exactly. It also shifts the power dynamic in international law. The Global South is no longer just following the rules set by the West; they are using those same rules to challenge the West. This could lead to a new international norm where the threshold for intervention is much lower than it used to be.
Cardi
I hope so, because the old way is not working! If this case makes even one country think twice before starting a war or blocking food, then maybe it was worth all the legal drama. But I still feel for the people in Gaza who are waiting for a ceasefire that never comes.
Elon
The human cost is staggering. The World Food Programme says the conditions are unlike anything seen this century. The impact of this conflict will be felt for generations, not just in the Middle East, but in how we define human rights and the value of international law itself. It is a turning point.
Cardi
It is a wake-up call for everyone. We cannot just sit back and watch this on our screens like it is a movie. These are real people, real families. Jumblatt might be frustrated, but his tweet got everyone talking again, and maybe that is the first step toward something actually changing.
Elon
Looking ahead, peace is a choice, but it is a hard one. The UN Security Council is expected to play a larger role in forcing a resolution, but with the current geopolitical divides, that is easier said than done. We might see more cases in national courts against individual leaders or corporations.
Cardi
I think we are going to see more people power. More protests, more boycotts, and more people demanding that their governments do the right thing. We cannot just wait for a court in the Netherlands to save us. We have to be the change ourselves, okurrr! That is the only way forward.
Elon
The trend is moving toward accountability, even if it is slow. Diplomacy still holds the power to stop conflicts if the world expects and demands it. We have to decide if we want a world ruled by law or a world ruled by force. I am hopeful we choose law.
Cardi
That is the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod, b83620679. It was a heavy one, but we have to keep talking about it. See you tomorrow, and stay safe out there!
Elon
Indeed, staying informed is the first step toward a better future. Thank you for joining us on Goose Pod. We will continue to track these developments as they unfold. Goodbye for now.
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