South Africa takes Israel to ICJ for 'genocidal' acts in Gaza

South Africa on Friday moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an urgent order, accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians at the United Nations’s top court amid rising international criticism of Israel’s continuing attack on Gaza.

In an application to the court on Friday, South Africa declared that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention, describing Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group”.

The ICJ is a United Nations platform for resolving disputes between states. The application urges the ICJ for a hearing next week, and to issue “provisional measures” to prevent the violence in Gaza.

“Israel, since 7 October 2023 in particular, has failed to prevent genocide and has failed to prosecute the direct and public incitement to genocide,” said a statement from South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

The department urged the ICJ to declare “on an urgent basis that Israel is in breach of its obligations in terms of the Genocide Convention, should immediately cease all acts and measures in breach of those obligations and take a number of related actions.”

Israel has reacted strongly to South Africa’s allegations, accusing it of “collaborating” with terrorists. “South Africa is collaborating with a terrorist group that calls for Israel’s destruction,” said a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

“Israel rejects with disgust the blood libel spread by South Africa,” the country’s foreign ministry said.

South African lawmakers had on Tuesday, voted to suspend formal ties with Israel and close Israel’s embassy. The move needs to be approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa to take effect.

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, Israel’s attack has claimed the lives of over 21,000 people since October 7 and also displaced around 85 per cent of the population in the besieged enclave.

The Palestinian Authority’s Foreign Ministry has welcomed South Africa’s accusation of “genocide” against Israel at the ICJ.

“The State of Palestine welcomes the decision of the Government of South Africa to institute proceedings against Israel,” it said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.

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