The Hague: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced that it will hold hearings next week on a case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of committing “genocidal” acts” in Gaza amid the raging war with Hamas.
According to The Hague-based ICJ — which is the UN’s principal judicial organ — the hearings will be dedicated to South Africa’s request for “provisional measures” — emergency steps the court can order to preserve the rights of a party, reports CNN.
The development comes after the court confirmed South Africa’s case filed on December 29, 2023, concerning “alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide concerning Palestinians in the Gaza Strip”.
Following its 84-page application to the ICJ, South Africa’s presidency said in a statement that the country was obliged “to prevent genocide from occurring”.
“South Africa is gravely concerned with the plight of civilians caught in the present Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip due to the indiscriminate use of force and forcible removal of inhabitants,” the BBC quoted the statement as saying.
“Furthermore, there are ongoing reports of international crimes, such as crimes against humanity and war crimes, being committed as well as reports that acts meeting the threshold of genocide or related crimes… have been and may still be committed in the context of the ongoing massacres in Gaza.”
On Tuesday, Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told local media that the Jewish nation has decided to appear at The Hague-based court.
“Israel has signed the convention against genocide for decades, and we will certainly not boycott the proceeding, but stand up and repel the absurd blood plot against us,” Hanegbi added.
South Africa is scheduled to present its oral arguments on January 11, with Israel set to do the same the following day.
Immediately after South Africa submitted its application, spokesperson for Israel’s Foreign Ministry Lior Haiat had said that the nation’s claim “constitutes despicable and contemptuous exploitation of the Court”.
He said South Africa was “cooperating with a terrorist organisation that is calling for the destruction of the State of Israel”.
The development comes as South Africa has been highly critical of Israel’s ongoing military operation in Gaza.
In November 2023, it recalled all of its diplomats from Israel.
Israel, in turn, recalled its Ambassador from Pretoria.
In addition, the South African national assembly voted to suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel, but the government is yet to formally responded to the vote.
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