South Africa's Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola delivers remarks to journalists outside the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after the first day of hearings on the genocide case against Israel brought by South Africa, in The Hague on January 11, 2024. REMKO DE WAAL / AFP
Jan 11,
2024. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
South Africa on Thursday, January 11, accused Israel of breaching the UN Genocide Convention,
saying that even the October 7 Hamas attack could not justify such alleged actions. Pretoria has lodged an urgent appeal to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to force Israel to "immediately suspend" its military operations in Gaza. Israel has dismissed the case as "atrocious" and "preposterous."
South Africa argues Israel is breaking its commitments under the UN Genocide Convention, a treaty signed in 1948 in the wake of the Holocaust. Top lawyer for South Africa Adila Hassim said Israel's bombing campaign aimed at the "destruction of Palestinian life" and had pushed Palestinians "to the brink of famine". "Genocides are never declared in advance, but this court has the benefit of the past 13 weeks of evidence that shows incontrovertibly a pattern of conduct and related intention that justifies a plausible claim of genocidal acts," she said.
South Africa's Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola (R) delivers remarks to journalists outside the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after the first day of hearingd on the genocide case against Israel brought by South Africa, in The Hague on January 11, 2024. REMKO DE WAAL / AFP
As a fellow
signatory to the treaty, South Africa can take Israel to the ICJ, which rules
on disputes between countries and is often described as the "World
Court."
US says
charges 'unfounded'
Israel will
present its own arguments Friday but President Isaac Herzog has already hinted
at his country's likely defense. "There's nothing more atrocious and
preposterous than this claim," said Herzog. "We will present proudly
our case of using self defense... under international humanitarian law,"
he said. Herzog said the Israeli army was "doing its utmost under
extremely complicated circumstances on the ground to make sure that there will
be no unintended consequences and no civilian casualties."
Le Monde
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