Israeli Finance Minister Rejects ICJ Ruling on Gaza Operations

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that Israel would not comply with the International Court of Justice's ruling to halt military operations in Rafah, Gaza. Smotrich emphasized that stopping the war against Hamas would mean compromising Israel's existence, a notion Israel vehemently opposes.

Israel's hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Friday Israel would not accept the International Court of Justice ruling ordering it to halt its military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Smotrich, leader of one the nationalist religious parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, said demanding Israel stops the war against the Islamist movement Hamas was tantamount to demanding that Israel decide to cease to exist. "Israeli will not agree to that," he said in a statement.