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Last Updated : 2024-05-10 01:01:00
12 January 2024 11:05 am - 12 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
(Aljazeera)- Israel faces accusations that it is subjecting Palestinians in Gaza to genocidal acts, as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) commenced a hearing on South Africa’s genocide case against it on Thursday.
Amid Israel’s ongoing three-month war in Gaza, more than 23,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed, lawyers told the top United Nations court. Most of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million has been displaced, and an Israeli blockade severely limiting food, fuel and medicine has caused a humanitarian “catastrophe”, according to the UN.
South Africa’s case in The Hague argues that Israel violated the 1948 genocide convention, established in the aftermath of the Holocaust, which mandates that all countries prevent the recurrence of such crimes. It filed an 84-page document with the court detailing acts it says amount to genocide in Gaza.
Adila Hassim, a lawyer representing South Africa, told the ICJ that Israel had breached Article II of the Genocide Convention, which included the “mass killing” of Palestinians in Gaza.
“Israel deployed 6,000 bombs per week … No one is spared. Not even newborns. UN chiefs have described it as a graveyard for children,” she said.
“Nothing will stop the suffering, except an order from this court,” she added. South Africa has demanded that the ICJ order Israel to suspend its military campaign.
Also called the World Court, the ICJ is the highest UN legal body that can adjudicate issues between member states.
Alanna O’Malley, a professor of UN and international history, told Al Jazeera that South Africa’s case was a “historic” one.
“We see from the invocation of the various articles of the Genocide Convention by the South African legal team the ways in which they are going to structurally present this case,” she said outside the court in The Hague, calling it “extremely compelling”.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his nation was pursuing the case of what it called “the ongoing slaughter of the people of Gaza”.
Israel will respond to the allegations made by South Africa on Friday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that hypocrisy and lies had been presented to the UN’s top court, adding that South Africa’s accusation against Israel of genocide in Gaza could only happen in a world turned upside-down.
“We are fighting terrorists, we are fighting lies,” Netanyahu said. “Today we saw an upside-down world. Israel is accused of genocide while it is fighting against genocide.”
“Israel is fighting murderous terrorists who carried out crimes against humanity: They slaughtered, they raped, they burned, they dismembered, they beheaded – children, women, elderly, young men and women,” he said. “The hypocrisy of South Africa screams to the heavens.”
Tamil Jaffna Friday, 12 January 2024 11:53 AM
The hypocrisy of one rules for whites and other rules for colored people, should end. Hats off South Africa for exposing the racially based genocide of woman, children and elderly by Israel with support of USA. All humans deserve dignity and the right to live in their land.
Jef Friday, 12 January 2024 12:00 PM
Most of the war agints innocent civilians that been telecast across the world live by aldarzera it is heart breaking families kids elderly woman men father's mothers grand parents been killed wounded piling up bodies simply not acceptable by any means....we have never have seen such a brutality human suffering and no help sad world....it shouldn't never hapen ever again.....
Tamil Historian Friday, 12 January 2024 12:27 PM
When the whole of North America and Europe are supporting the murderous Israel and all third world countries including Muslim countries keeping very quiet ; South Africa stepping in and taking Israel to the world court is called moral courage. South African President Cyril Ramaposa has become the hero to the third world. All these years India played double game and pretended to be the third world leader , now everyone knows the truth about India . For the first time in the post colonial history the third world is blessed to have a sincere leader prepared to take all the risks, economical-military-and personal security, in openly challenging the Heartless White World.
Thamara Friday, 12 January 2024 03:17 PM
By taking US to ICJ South Africa have made it easier for themselves to loose the case
Chris Xavir Friday, 12 January 2024 07:24 PM
Reply to Thamara - have you rocks in your head?
Gert Jan, the Netherlands Saturday, 13 January 2024 04:10 PM
The USA does not acknowledge the international Court in the Hague. Neither does Russia by the way.
Ram Friday, 12 January 2024 03:27 PM
Good matter to watch how the court decide the matter
smelly socks Friday, 12 January 2024 05:24 PM
well done south africa sri-lanka is proud of south africa
Buddhist Friday, 12 January 2024 07:58 PM
Netanyahu and his army generals should be locked-up for life.
Jeevaratne hulle Friday, 12 January 2024 09:59 PM
Had these charges been made against Sri Lanka, the white worshiping some of the brown folks and their NGO and the human rights brigades would have gone to town!
Bernard Jayatilake Saturday, 13 January 2024 01:37 AM
Did South Africa go to the Hague against U.K. over apartheid?
Jude Saturday, 13 January 2024 11:09 AM
During Apathied time there was no internet or Google to search for the telephone number or address of ICJ Huh. SA had no idea about ICJ then yeah!!
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