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The White Home has condemned South Africa’s determination to formally accuse Israel of genocide in costs filed on the Worldwide Court docket of Justice, calling the allegations introduced by Pretoria “meritless”.
Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson John Kirby slammed South Africa’s case as being with out advantage in response to a query at Wednesday’s White Home press briefing.
Mr Kirby additionally stated that the courtroom submission was “counterproductive and utterly with none foundation in truth in any way”.
South Africa introduced the costs to the United Nations’s high courtroom at The Hague on 29 December, citing prohibitions in opposition to genocide beneath worldwide legislation banning killings or different actions “dedicated with intent to destroy, in complete or partially, a nationwide, ethnical, racial or spiritual group”.
The case accuses Israel of appearing “in violation of its obligations beneath the Genocide Conference” whereas conducting the conflict in opposition to Hamas it has been prosecuting because the 7 October 2023 terrorist assaults. by the militant group killed greater than 1,000 Israelis.
Within the intervening months, the Hamas-run Gaza well being ministry has stated greater than 21,000 Gaza residents have been killed, together with greater than 300 killed in UN-run shelters.
In response to the ICJ, Israel is particularly accused of “acts and omissions” that “are genocidal in character, as they’re dedicated with the requisite particular intent … to destroy Palestinians in Gaza”.
In response, Israel stated the South African courtroom motion quantities to the nation “calling for the destruction of the State of Israel”.
“Israel is dedicated to worldwide legislation and acts in accordance with it, and directs its navy efforts solely in opposition to the Hamas terrorist group and the opposite terrorist organisations cooperating with Hamas,” the Israeli authorities stated in an announcement, including later that Israel Defence Forces make “each effort to restrict hurt to the non-involved and to permit humanitarian support to enter the Gaza Strip”.