The Hague Group Holds an Emergency Meeting on March 4, 2026, Regarding Accountability and the Enforcement of International Law

SadaNews - Amid Israel's unilateral move to expand its illegal presence in the occupied West Bank through actions widely condemned as de facto annexation, and its renewed imposition of stringent restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza following this week's military escalation, South Africa and Colombia, as co-chairs of the Hague Group, will invite governments from around the world to meet in The Hague on March 4, 2026, with the aim of pushing for coordinated and concrete actions at the state level to end impunity, halt complicity, and enforce international law.

The measures announced by Israel aim to alter the demographic makeup, character, and legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem - actions that are broadly understood to violate fundamental principles of international law.

On February 17, 85 countries opposed any form of annexation and reaffirmed their commitment to "take concrete measures, in accordance with international law, and in line with relevant United Nations resolutions and the advisory opinion of July 19, 2024, from the International Court of Justice, to assist in realizing the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, to counter the illegal settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, as well as policies and threats of forced displacement and annexation."

Colombia and South Africa jointly chair the Hague Group, which is a forum for coordinated action among states that brings together governments committed to defending international law.

The group was established in January 2025 and has so far hosted over 35 countries through three major conferences held in The Hague, Bogotá, and New York, where countries united in their commitment to transition from rhetoric to concrete action and preserving the integrity of the international legal system. Several participating governments have proposed essential measures to end impunity and have begun implementing their legal obligations at the national level, including preventing the export of arms and dual-use equipment to Israel, rejecting the passage of Israeli arms shipments through their ports, preventing ships carrying arms to Israel from sailing under their national flags, reviewing public contracts to prevent institutions and public funds from supporting illegal Israeli occupation, prosecuting international crimes judicially, and supporting the principle of universal jurisdiction to hold perpetrators accountable.

Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, Israeli military operations and the use of lethal force against civilians have persisted, prompting United Nations officials to issue repeated warnings. As of January 2026, over 81% of Gaza's facilities have been damaged or destroyed, leaving about 1.3 million people in urgent need of shelter. Most of the 2.1 million population has faced repeated displacement, with the majority concentrated in less than half the area of the enclave. The number of injured and chronically ill patients waiting for medical evacuation to receive treatment not available in Gaza exceeds 18,500 individuals.

The meeting scheduled for March 4, 2026, will focus on assessing the implementation of the measures announced by several states to fulfill the "third state" obligations defined by the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in July 2024. The meeting aims to ensure accountability and that no safe haven is provided for those committing genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.

Key statements include:

Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla (Executive Secretary of the Hague Group):

   She affirmed that the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people has not stopped and that Israel has accelerated its annexation processes. She emphasized that the aim of the March meeting is to "give international law real teeth" through concrete actions such as cutting off arms flows and closing ports.

Mauricio Garamillo (Deputy Minister of Multilateral Affairs, Colombia):

  He stated that Israel is committing land theft in broad daylight, considering that the entrenchment of the de facto annexation of parts of the West Bank is the next step in the project of permanent occupation, emphasizing Colombia's choice to take action.

Ronald Lamola (Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa):

He noted that the enforcement of international law cannot remain selective, explaining that the Hague Group was created to translate international commitments into coordinated collective action and calling on governments to join this endeavor.

Omar Hjezai (Palestinian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands):

   He stressed that the legal framework is not in dispute; rather, what is lacking is implementation. He added that the Hague Group operates on behalf of the international community to defend the rules-based order and protect humanity.