our commitment to international law is unwavering and also is our commitment to defend our country and to defend _ commitment to defend our country and to defend our people. hello, welcome to bbc news now, three hours of fast moving news, interviews and reaction. the international court ofjustice has issued a highly critical ruling to israel ordering it to ensure that its soldiers and people adhere to the genocide convention, but stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire which was one of south africa's demands. but by large majorities the court s 17 judges ruled, among other measures, that israel should do everything in its power to avoid killing palestinians. this is not the court s final ruling on genocide — that s likely to take several years. as she began her ruling, the presiding judge, joan donoghue, confirmed that the court has

jurisdiction in the genocide case against israel and would not throw it out, as requested by israel. let's listen to what she had to say. at the present stage of the proceedings the courts are not required to ascertain whether any violations of israel's obligations of the genocide convention have occurred, and this could only be made by the court at the stage of the examination of the merits of the present case. at the stage of making an order on the request for an indication of provisional measures, the task of the court is to establish whether the omission is capable, sorry, complained of by the applicant, appear to be capable of falling within the provisions of the genocide convention. in the view of the court at least some of the actual legends that immigrant allegations committed by —— the

actual allegations made by south africa appear to fall within this, and it hasjurisdiction africa appear to fall within this, and it has jurisdiction concerned africa appear to fall within this, and it hasjurisdiction concerned do article nine of the convention. given this conclusion, the court considers that it can't at seed to israel's request that the case be removed from the generalist. thejudge went on to order israel to take measures to prevent genocide in its war in gaza. the court considers that with regard to the present situation, israel must in accordance with its obligations under the genocide convention, in relation to palestinians in gaza, take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the commission of all acts within the scope of article two of the convention in particular, killing groups, members of the great, causing serious bodily harm to members of the group, deliberately inflicting on the group conditions coagulated to bring about its

physical destruction —— calculated. and imposing measures intended to prevent this within the group. the court recalls that these acts fall within the scope of article two of the convention, when they are committed with the intent to destroy in whole or in part the group as such. the court further considers that israel must make sure with immediate effect that its military forces do not commit any of the aforementioned acts. the court is also of the view that israel must take measures within its power to prevent and punish the direct and public incitement in relation to the members of the palestinian group in the gaza strip. that was the judge presiding over the case alongside i6 presiding over the case alongside 16 other presiding over the case alongside i6 otherjustices. the foreign affairs

minister of south africa was asked whether she was disappointed that the ruling had not specifically demanded a ceasefire. i the ruling had not specifically demanded a ceasefire. i hoped for it but the fact — demanded a ceasefire. i hoped for it but the fact of _ demanded a ceasefire. i hoped for it but the fact of delivering _ but the fact of delivering humanitarian aid and the fact of taking measures that reduce the levels of harm against people who have no role in what israel is combating, for me requires a ceasefire and i believe israel would have to look at how it conducts its search for the hostages and for those hamas individuals who carried out the october seven attack. benjamin netanyahu, israeli prime minister, has now commented on the icj gaza judgement. our commitment to international law is unwavering and equally unwavering

is unwavering and equally unwavering is our sacred commitment to continue to defend his country and its people and we have an inherent right to defend itself like any country, and the attempt to deny israel this is something that has been rejected. decent people everywhere should reject it and on the eve of the international heineken —— the eve of the international holocaust we can we should never it vows to repeat these atrocities again and again and again. our war is against hamas terrace, not against palestinian civilians, and we will continue to facilitate humanitarian assistance and to do

our utmost to keep civilians out of harms way even as hamas uses civilians as human shields. we will continue to do what is necessary to defend our country and defend our people. at defend our country and defend our --eole. �* , ., ~ defend our country and defend our --eole. �* , defend our country and defend our n-eole. �* , ,., , defend our country and defend our --eole. �* , ,., , ., people. a breaking story coming into us. the people. a breaking story coming into us- the un's — people. a breaking story coming into us. the un's palestinian _ people. a breaking story coming into us. the un's palestinian agency - people. a breaking story coming into us. the un's palestinian agency said| us. the un's palestinian agency said it is opening a probe into the alleged involvement of several of its employees in the 7th of october attacks. in southern israel by hamas. the israeli authorities have provided the un with information about several employees in these attacks on israel, according to the commissioner general. he went on to say to protect the agency's ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, they have taken the decision to immediately terminate a contract of these staff members and launch an

investigation. live now to tel aviv where we can speak to mark regev who is the senior adviser to the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. thanks forjoining us. what more can you say about the alleged involvement of these members of staff in the attacks on the 7th of october? , , , . . october? there is specific information _ october? there is specific information which - october? there is specific information which has - october? there is specific. information which has been october? there is specific - information which has been shared with the leadership about the involvement of members of this organisation, people who were on their salaries, and additional information which has been put out there of teachers in unrwa schools who openly celebrated the october seven massacre and one of the hostages publicly spoke after her release she was held in the house of someone who worked for unrwa and the fact unrwa has a very strong relationship with the few terrorist

organisation is documented and they have a union which is controlled by hamas and it is high time that the un investigated these links between unrwa and hamas and this is also important for what we were discussing earlier, the issue of the court, because thejustice discussing earlier, the issue of the court, because the justice of the court, because the justice of the court quoted at length unrwa reports and quoted unrwa officials but they are not objective and they have a very strong relationship with hamas and during the crisis take have refused to condemn what hamas is doing in gaza and they have become apologists for hamas and you have a structure where you have foreigners who come in to head the organisation but thousands of staff are in gaza, palestinians, and hamas has control

over the grass roots of the organisation.— over the grass roots of the oruanisation. ~ ~ _ , over the grass roots of the oruanisation. ~ ~ ,, , , , organisation. unrwa says the members of staff will face _ organisation. unrwa says the members of staff will face criminal _ of staff will face criminal prosecution if necessary and i do want to pick up on the court case which you mentioned, and it has been described by south africa which raised the case as a victory for south africa and for the palestinian people and it was clear in the court, the rulings, 15 people and it was clear in the court, the rulings, isjustices against two, the court stands firmly against two, the court stands firmly against israel's action and it is now proceeding with these investigations into possible claims of genocide. how do you react to this ruling?— this ruling? the most important thin is this ruling? the most important thing is that _ this ruling? the most important thing is that the _ this ruling? the most important thing is that the court _ this ruling? the most important thing is that the court rejected i thing is that the court rejected south africa's astonishing preposterous demand that israel not be given the right to defend itself and the first one of their action items for a provisional measure was

for an immediate ceasefire that israel could not pursue hamas and continue our military effort to destroy hamas enter free our hostages and that rejected by the court —— and to free our hostages. the south africans can try to put a smile on it but their most important action item was rejected by the court. as the bbc�*s raced into the south african foreign minister was, they failed to obtain their objective, they went into this as the legal armour hamas. hamas are desperate for a ceasefire for obvious reasons and south africa wanted to deliver this ceasefire through outrageous case at the icj and it was rejected by thejustices. israel previously said it may not adhere to any provisional rulings laid down to it by the court and israel is a signatory to the

genocide convention which of course came about because of what happened mostly to jewish people during came about because of what happened mostly tojewish people during the second world war. it is not hypocritical of israel to be a signatory to the genocide convention and then refused to follow the instructions of the court? there has been no such _ instructions of the court? there has been no such statement _ instructions of the court? there has been no such statement that - instructions of the court? there has been no such statement that we - instructions of the court? there has| been no such statement that we will refuse to follow the instructions of the court but you are correct in what you say, israel was one of the first countries to join the genocide convention because our people were the victims of genocide and of the 17 justices on the court, only one i7 justices on the court, only one is actually a survivor of genocide and that is the israeli justice who was a child and managed to survive the holocaust. this is a very close issue for israelis, the whole issue of genocide, but what is preposterous and obscene, if you don't mind me saying, is the manipulation by south africa at the

genocide convention to serve the interests of hamas and of course hamas which if you read their charter openly, it declares that every israeli and everyjew should be killed and they are a self—professed genocidal organisation, and here you have an inversion of reality where a genocidal terrorist organisation and we saw the terrible violence they were capable of on the 7th of october, this is being defended so to speak under this convention which was designed to prevent genocide. it is an inversion of reality and truth and ofjustice.— is an inversion of reality and truth and ofjustice. and of 'ustice. two of the keywords when and ofjustice. two of the keywords when we look _ and ofjustice. two of the keywords when we look at _ and ofjustice. two of the keywords when we look at the _ and ofjustice. two of the keywords when we look at the geneva - when we look at the geneva conventions and the rules around armed conflict are around distinction and proportionality, a distinction and proportionality, a distinction between legitimate military targets and civilians and a proportionate response to self defence and when you look at the

numbers, the attacks on the 7th of october were horrific, and you still have people being held hostage which is illegal under international law, but in the meantime 25,900 palestinians have been killed in gaza and in some instances in areas where they had been told to evacuate too because it would be safer for them, so do you think israel is acting with distinction and proportionality in mind? 10096. our resonse proportionality in mind? 10096. our response is — proportionality in mind? 10096. our response is in _ proportionality in mind? 10096. our response is in accordance _ proportionality in mind? 10096. our response is in accordance with - response is in accordance with international law and you quote numbers for fatalities and many people do but those numbers are provided by the hamas terrorist organisation and its infrastructure in gaza, it is a health ministry controlled by hamas and the justices themselves in the decision, the president of the court said there is no way to verify these numbers. we don't know how many of them are combatants and we are sure in that a

large proportion of them are combatants and legitimate targets for our military operation. of course we face a very difficult situation where the hamas terror organisation uses the civilians as shields for its terror machine and therefore they have embedded themselves as part of their strategy, in schools, hospitals, repeatedly in hospitals, even in un facilities in urban neighbourhoods, this is an organisation that commits a double war crime, it attacks and kills israeli like in the massacre of the 7th of october or the repeated launch of rockets, but they commit a second war crime by deliberately against the rules of armed conflict and against international law, they use civilians as human shield for their war machine, the second wall crime. —— war. war machine, the second wall crime. -- war. ., war machine, the second wall crime. -- war. . ., war machine, the second wall crime. -- war. ., ., ., , war machine, the second wall crime. -- wan— thankl -- war. thanks for 'oining us. thank ou for -- war. thanks for 'oining us. thank you for having — -- war. thanks for 'oining us. thank

you for having me. j_ a significant ruling, how is it playing out in the region? it has been met with _ playing out in the region? it has been met with a _ playing out in the region? it has been met with a brush - playing out in the region? it has been met with a brush off- playing out in the region? it has been met with a brush off from| been met with a brush off from israel and you heard there echoing the line which has been pushed out by the israeli government, and benjamin netanyahu says the commitment of israel to international law is unwavering but equally unwavering is their commitment to defend their country and their people and he talked about and their people and he talked about a vile attempt to deny the right to defend itself, and he talked about blatant discrimination against the jewish state and said we will continue to do what is necessary to defend our country, he said, and also talking about humanitarian access, and the far right security minister has called the international court of justice

anti—semitic and suggested israel should ignore it. so there is a defiance here and there is a sense of satisfaction that there has not been an explicit call for a ceasefire and that is what they are playing up in the israeli media but the israeli government is not bothered by the call is coming from the international court ofjustice for israel to change its policies. that said, this adds to an international narrative that is forming about the policy of israel in gaza and that is something that sooner or later that israel cannot ignore it. ihla sooner or later that israel cannot ianore it. ., . u, sooner or later that israel cannot inore it. ., . ., sooner or later that israel cannot irnore it. ., ., ., ., ignore it. no immediate call for a ceasefire in _ ignore it. no immediate call for a ceasefire in the _ ignore it. no immediate call for a ceasefire in the suggestion - ignore it. no immediate call for a ceasefire in the suggestion it - ceasefire in the suggestion it should be ignored by israel, and is this going to change the picture on the ground anytime soon palestinian civilians? ~ ., the ground anytime soon palestinian civilians? ~ . . ., . civilians? what the international court ofjustice _

civilians? what the international court ofjustice says _ civilians? what the international court ofjustice says is _ civilians? what the international court ofjustice says is binding . court ofjustice says is binding legally but it is not actually enforceable on the ground unless it is called to a un security council in terms of resolution and then the us can veto it, standing with israel. will it change anything? it is part of a much larger moving machine at the moment so there is a renewed call and a renewed effort to try to read a diplomatic solution in terms of this, a ceasefire situation, and the head of the cia is meeting his israeli counterpart and the qatari prime minister in france to discuss renewed attempts at reaching some sort of ceasefire and at the moment the israelis and hamas are a long way apart on various matters but there are renewed talks and they are talking in which they were not a few weeks ago and that is positive. that added

to the growing condemnation from the international community, pressure from israel's western allies, what the icj said today, it is all gradually adding pressure on israel to change its policy. israel is defiant, it wants to destroy hamas and is determined to get the hostages back but things are moving and the diplomatic levers are moving once again. and the diplomatic levers are moving once aaain. . ., ., , around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. south korean politicians from across the political divide have condemned an assault on a governing party mp which has left her in hospital. bae hyun—jin was struck repeatedly on the head with a rock in seoul on thursday. the male suspect was a fifteen year old boy who may be suffering

from a psychiatric illness. president yoon suk—yeol described the attack as an act of terrorism. the uk has halted trade talks with canada, with discussions breaking down due to a disagreement over beef and cheese. the two nations have been negotiating for the last two years after britain left the eu, with trade continuing under the same deal originally brokered when the uk was a member of the bloc. the previous agreement had allowed the uk to continue to sell cars and cheese in the north american nation without canada charging import tax. parts of spain have been hit by unusually high temperatures. the heatwave is also affecting parts of france. you're live with bbc news. now to the situation in the hague after the case brought against

israel by south africa. we can go to our correspondent. part of the mechanics of the case in the first instance was that israel had argued he should not even have happened and that the court had no jurisdiction. how did that play out?— how did that play out? exactly. israel argued _ how did that play out? exactly. israel argued it _ how did that play out? exactly. israel argued it was _ how did that play out? exactly. israel argued it was acting - how did that play out? exactly. | israel argued it was acting within the remit of international law and that it was targeting hamas militants in self defence and that the allegations from south african were a distortion of the truth. —— south africa. within the provisional measures, thejudges south africa. within the provisional measures, the judges stopped short of saying that israel must cease military action but they say very clearly the way in which this military activity is being conducted has to change so these are quite significant measures they have outlined and all with reference to the genocide convention and

countries obligation to abide by the rules of the genocide convention, and first of all talking about the need to prevent any killings that could have genocidal intent and to make sure that no statements are made that could be seen as an incitement to commit genocide and is right has been ordered to take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services, humanitarian assistance, to help the palestinian people in gaza. one of the other things the judges mentioned people in gaza. one of the other things thejudges mentioned here people in gaza. one of the other things the judges mentioned here was the hostages and urged hamas to release the hostages still being held after being taken on the 7th of october. you might be able to understand that there are protesters he on both sides just outside the court, a group of israelis playing a video on loop of the atrocities committed on the 7th of october.

while this is being interpreted as a victory for south africa, actually what the judges have said is what israel has said it is already doing, acting within international law. the other interesting thing is that the judges have said israel must report back to the court within a month on how it is putting the orders into place. how it is putting the orders into lace. ., ., ., , live now to nour odeh, a palestinian political analyst based in ramallah, in the west bank. what do you make of the ruling today? it what do you make of the ruling toda ? , ., what do you make of the ruling toda? . what do you make of the ruling toda? today? it is a historic and it was very important _ today? it is a historic and it was very important not _ today? it is a historic and it was very important notjust - today? it is a historic and it was very important not just for - very important notjust for palestinians and south africa but for the international system. there was a lot riding on what would come out of the court and whether the fears or the perception in the

global south of the mechanisms of international law really were only under the employ of the west and that was proven incorrect. these decisions are binding and the orders are binding and they mean that the trial of israel, the accused of genocide, that will proceed, that is very significant. genocide, that will proceed, that is very significant-— very significant. these are legally bindinu very significant. these are legally binding rulings _ very significant. these are legally binding rulings and _ very significant. these are legally binding rulings and you _ very significant. these are legally binding rulings and you have - binding rulings and you have described this ruling as historic but there is no enforcement mechanism with the icj and it has no teeth in this regard. how do you think israel is going to react? i don't think anybody really expects the israelis to comply with international law. they don't have a record of compliance and respect for international law but we have to keepin international law but we have to keep in mind that all of the signatories of the convention are

obliged to respect it and they have clear obligations, but also under their own laws and their own national laws, that they have to make sure that they are not complicit in these crimes and that they are making sure that these orders are being respected and so there will be a lot of mechanisms that the orders trigger at the national level is for all the signatories of this convention which is basically universal, universally endorsed by the members of the un. so a lot will happen in the aftermath of these orders and it is notjust aftermath of these orders and it is not just about the security council and whether the us will suddenly have a change of heart and respect international law even if it means holding israel to account. it is also a test for the signatories for countries in europe and in the west in general and beyond whether the system really applies to everybody or it doesn't, and if it doesn't it

loses all meaning.— or it doesn't, and if it doesn't it loses all meaning. you talk about the international _ loses all meaning. you talk about the international community - loses all meaning. you talk about the international community and | the international community and whether this will change the pressure on israel when it comes to its diplomatic allies, and the turkish president said he hopes the un court ruling can halt the violence in gaza and turkey was one country that supported south africa in this case. is this a tipping point regarding the support for israel on the international stage? as a palestinian, i would say, hopefully, yes, and we have to remember a couple of things, all of these statements, the unmistakable human toll that israel's war on gaza has created, it is becoming a lot of heavyweight even for the staunchest of israel allies to carry and one thing is that the countries want the international system to work but it is paralysed because everybody wants to protect israel from

accountability. we will hear another case on the legality of the israeli occupation of the palestinian territory, also at the icj, and the ability of israel to maintain the occupation without an end in sight and to do this without accountability, i think this is drawing to an end.— accountability, i think this is drawing to an end. sorry to cut you off but thanks _ drawing to an end. sorry to cut you off but thanks for _ drawing to an end. sorry to cut you off but thanks forjoining _ drawing to an end. sorry to cut you off but thanks forjoining us. - drawing to an end. sorry to cut you off but thanks forjoining us. do . drawing to an end. sorry to cut you off but thanks forjoining us. do it. off but thanks forjoining us. do it stick with us on bbc news. do not go anywhere. hello there. for many parts of the country it's been a dry and sunny day today. still some rather brisk winds in places. we had some gusty winds overnight on that band of cloud that swept some rain eastwards. that's long gone now, but following on from that we've seen a bit of a change to something

cooler and fresher. those temperatures will drop away quickly this evening. already at 5.00pm or so those numbers are going to be sitting around six or seven degrees. whilst the winds are lighter in the south, it's still quite blustery further north. overnight through the night we're still likely to have some gales in the far north—west of scotland. it's going to be across the northern half of scotland we continue to see the showers into the night. the odd one possible for northern ireland and then maybe into the far north of england just for a while with a bit more cloud. further south the winds will be lighter, skies will be clearer. it's going to turn quite chilly in the south—east of england, temperatures could be close to freezing by saturday morning. not quite so cold further north in scotland and northern ireland. the weekend is looking pretty good for most of us. a lot of dry weather around, some sunshine at times and those temperatures are going to be rising, as well. most of the rain, i think, as we head into saturday is going to be on that band of cloud and rain in the far north of scotland. we could get one or two spots of rain in the afternoon for northern ireland, later in western scotland,

otherwise it's going to be dry. the sunshine will be a bit hazy at times, but temperatures will be higher than today at around nine or ten degrees. there is a weather frontjust sort of lurking out in the atlantic and eventually it will arrive in the far north—west of the uk, but, ahead of that, the winds are going to be picking up. it's going to be a southerly wind on sunday and that means temperatures will continue to rise. maybe a bit more cloud around on sunday, especially around some of these western hills and coasts. the best of the sunshine likely to be across the eastern side of the uk. there's that band of rain approaching northern ireland, more especially the north—west of scotland later on in the day. ahead of that, temperatures will be higher. it could make 1a degrees perhaps around the moray firth in that southerly wind. heading into the beginning of next week and that weather front bringing that rain in from the north—west is going to stumble its way towards england and wales. there may well be some heavy bursts of rain for a while and, with colder air in the north—west, the risk of some snow over the scottish mountains. ahead of that rain, as it pushes into england and wales, it should still be dry across east anglia, the south—east, maybe the midlands, as well,

and temperatures here could reach 1a or even 15 celsius.

what's the beef? the uk walks out of trade talks with canada following a dispute over cheese and meat.

and the us is pausing the approval of exports from new liquefied