On Friday, South Africa filed an utility in opposition to Israel earlier than the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice (ICJ) for “genocide in opposition to the Palestinian individuals in Gaza”, accusations which have been instantly dismissed “with disgust” by Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities.
Pretoria additionally requested the UN’s major judicial physique to take pressing measures to “defend the Palestinian individuals in Gaza”, specifically by enjoining Israel to “instantly stop all navy assaults”.
“Israel rejects with disgust the defamation (…) propagated by South Africa and its recourse to the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice”, Lior Haiat, spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Overseas Affairs, instantly reacted on X.
South Africa, a fervent supporter of the Palestinian trigger, is likely one of the international locations most crucial of the large and lethal Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in retaliation for the bloody Hamas assaults on Israel on October 7. It considers that “Israel, notably since October 7, 2023 (…) has engaged, is partaking and is more likely to proceed to interact in acts of genocide in opposition to the Palestinian individuals in Gaza”, based on the ICJ.
Pretoria asserts that Israel’s “acts and omissions are genocidal in character, as they’re accompanied by the requisite particular intent (…) to destroy the Palestinians of Gaza as a part of the bigger nationwide, racial and ethnic group of Palestinians”, careworn the Hague-based court docket. “These acts are all attributable to Israel, which has failed to stop genocide and is committing genocide in clear violation of the Genocide Conference,” the textual content stated.
The ICJ, which judges disputes between states, is predicted to carry hearings within the coming weeks. However whereas its selections are closing, it has no technique of implementing them. It may additionally order emergency measures pending full decision of instances, which may take a few years.
South Africa laid out in its utility that it had turned to the court docket to “set up Israel’s duty for violations of the Genocide Conference”, but additionally to “make sure the fullest and most pressing safety doable for the Palestinians”.
The Worldwide Prison Courtroom (ICC), which can be primarily based in The Hague and tries people, additionally acquired a request final month from South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros and Djibouti to analyze the scenario within the “State of Palestine”. The ICC has additionally opened investigations in 2021 into doable warfare crimes dedicated within the Palestinian Territories by each Israel and Hamas.