The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced on Friday that it had received documents from South Africa initiate the complaint procedure against Israel for allegedly committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip. According to the documentation provided by South Africa, “Israel’s actions and omissions (…) are genocidal in nature, since they are committed with the specific intention of (…) destroying the Palestinians in Gaza as part of the national group.”, broader Palestinian racial and ethnic background,” the UN court said in a statement.
South Africa adds that “the conduct of Israel, through its organs of state, state agents and other persons and organizations acting under its instructions or under its direction, control or influence, in relation to the Palestinians in Gaza.” “Violates its obligations under the Genocide Convention”says a statement from the International Court of Justice.
The documentation submitted by Johannesburg adds that “Israel has been involved, is participating and is at risk of becoming more complicit in acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.” “South Africa seeks to limit the jurisdiction of the Court to Article 36(1) of the Statutes of the Court and on Article IX of the Genocide Convention, to which both South Africa and Israel are parties,” the court said.
South Africa’s request includes: Precautions to “protect against further, serious and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention” and “ensure that Israel complies with its obligations” to not engage in this type of crime, in addition to this to prevent and punish him.
Israel didn’t wait long condemn the South African government’s initiative. “Israel rejects with disgust the blood libel spread by South Africa and its appeal to the International Court of Justice because “it has no factual and legal basis and represents a despicable and contemptible use of the court,” an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
He also highlighted that “South Africa cooperates” with Hamas“Terrorist group that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel” and commits “war crimes” and “against humanity” and that “attempted to commit genocide on October 7” when it carried out a surprise attack on Israel that resulted in more than 1,200 deaths
In parallel, South Africa last November asked the prosecutor’s office of the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose authority Israel does not recognize, to open an investigation into the offensive, a request supported by Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Comoros and Djibouti.
The prosecutor responded that he was already conducting an investigation into crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories since 2021, which “includes conduct that may constitute crimes under the Rome Statute committed in Gaza and the West Bank since June 13, 2014.” refers to the “escalation of hostilities and violence since the October 7 attacks”. This investigation focuses on war crimes that may have been committed by both the Israeli army and the Hamas group and other Palestinian militias in the occupied Palestinian territories.