RIYADH: The Muslim World League on Saturday welcomed the UN’s top court’s preliminary ruling that any acts of genocide, or statements that call for genocide, aimed at Palestinians in the Gaza Strip must cease. The Hague-based International Court of Justice ruled on Friday in favor of a South African request to impose emergency measures on Israel over its war in Gaza, and dismissed an Israeli petition to have the charge of genocide thrown out. The court found there was a case to answer about whether Palestinian rights were being denied. The 17-judge panel instructed Israel to report back in a month on its progress in complying with the ruling. The interim ruling did not reach a decision on the merits of the genocide allegation, which could take years. In a statement, the MWL commended South Africa’s efforts and stressed the need for continued work from the international community to stop the war and ensure the protection of civilians in Gaza and the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said that the court’s ruling against Israel confirms its “brutal crimes” against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Albudaiwi commended the court for its accurate documentation of these crimes, highlighting the court’s commitment to following up on the case and making the appropriate decisions in the future based on Israel’s adherence to the verdict. “The International Court of Justice’s verdict is in line with international laws and treaties related to the protection of innocent civilians, especially the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which Israel violated by targeting civilian institutions and hospitals, which led to the killing and wounding of tens of thousands of innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip,” Albudaiwi said. The GCC chief commended the efforts exerted by South Africa and the legal team that prepared the case. He also underscored the urgent need for the international community to ensure that Israel complies with the verdict and immediately stops its attacks on the Gaza Strip, as well as the need to halt the displacement of Palestinians and provide them with all necessary aid. The secretary-general reiterated the GCC member states’ commitment to supporting the Palestinian people in realizing their legitimate rights, based on the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant international resolutions that call for the establishment of an independent and internationally-recognized state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday also welcomed the ruling and stressed its “categorical rejection of the Israeli occupation’s practices and violations of the UN Convention on Genocide.” The ministry emphasized the importance of the international community taking further measures to stop the violence in the Gaza Strip, providing protection for the Palestinian people, and holding Israeli forces accountable for their systematic violations of international law.