The Times of Israel is liveblogging Saturday’s events as they happen.
ICJ to hold hearings on Nicaragua’s case accusing Germany of facilitating ‘genocide’ in Gaza
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Top UN judges will start listening to submissions next month in the case filed by Nicaragua accusing Berlin of facilitating “genocide” in Gaza because of its support for Israel in the war against Hamas, officials say.
Two weeks ago Nicaragua filed a case against Germany before the International Court of Justice, saying Berlin was “facilitating the commission of genocide and… failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide,” in Gaza.
This included Berlin’s suspension of funding of the UN Palestinian refugee agency.
The Hague-based ICJ says it will hold hearings on April 8 and 9 for both countries to make submissions.
“The hearings will be devoted to the request for the indication of provisional measures contained in Nicaragua’s Application,” the ICJ says in a statement.
Managua has asked the court to take a swift interim stance against Germany before the case was given in-depth study by judges.
The lodging of the case follows the ICJ saying on January 26 that Israel must do everything to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza and take “immediate” measures for aid provisions.
That interim order was given as the court moves to weigh in full a case lodged in December by South Africa alleging that Israel was engaged in genocide in Gaza.
Israel has dismissed South Africa’s case as a “grossly distorted story.”
US says Houthis fired 3 anti-ship ballistic missiles at Red Sea
The US Central Command says the Houthis fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward the Red Sea.
It says there are no injuries or damage reported.
Senior Hamas and Houthi figures held rare meeting to coordinate actions against Israel
Senior figures from Hamas and Yemen’s Houthi rebels held a rare meeting to discuss coordinating their actions against Israel, Palestinian factional sources tell AFP.
Hamas and the Houthis belong to the “axis of resistance,” a collection of Iran-backed movements hostile to Israel and the United States that also includes Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iraqi militias.
The Houthis have attacked Red Sea shipping for months since the Israel-Hamas war was triggered by the Palestinian terror group’s October 7 attack, saying they are targeting Israeli-linked vessels in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
According to sources from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, leaders from the two Palestinian Islamist terror groups, as well as the Marxist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, held an “important meeting” with Houthi representatives last week.
The groups discussed “mechanisms to coordinate their actions of resistance” for the “next stage” of the war in Gaza, the sources say without identifying where the meeting took place.
The Palestinian groups and the Houthis also talked about a possible Israeli ground assault into southern Gaza’s Rafah, say the sources, who requested anonymity.
The Houthis confirmed they would continue their attacks on Red Sea shipping to “support the Palestinian resistance,” according to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad sources.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Pence says he won’t endorse former boss Trump in 2024 US presidential race
WASHINGTON — Former US vice president Mike Pence says he will not be backing Donald Trump as his old boss runs for a second term in the White House.
“It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year,” Pence says in an interview with Fox News.
US media calls the announcement a “bombshell” and “startling,” although in reality deep divisions have driven the two men apart since leaving office, and an endorsement would have been a surprise.
The pair became estranged after Trump tried to pressure Pence to help him overturn his 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden, repeatedly attacking him on social media when he wouldn’t go along with the scheme.
After various attempts by Trump and his allies to subvert the election results failed, the then-president directed a mob of his supporters to march on the Capitol, where they ransacked the building as some chanted “Hang Mike Pence!”
Pence tells Fox News that Trump is “pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years.”
The 64-year-old’s comments come days after Trump secured enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination to challenge Biden in November.
Pence was one of Trump’s early rivals in the primary contest ahead of the 2024 election, although he quit the race last October after failing to poll in double figures.