South Africa Files Genocide Case Against Israel at ICJ

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Facts

  • South Africa on Friday asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to make an urgent order declaring that Israel, in its attacks on Gaza, was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.1
  • In invoking the treaty that made it a crime to attempt to destroy a people in whole or in part, drafted following the Holocaust, South Africa's application to the UN venue also called on the court to issue short-term measures ordering Israel to stop its military campaign.1
  • The application alleges that Israel's acts are 'genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group' and urges the ICJ to hold a hearing on the matter next week.2
  • In response, Israel said it rejects South Africa's allegations with contempt, claiming that it 'has made it clear that the residents of the Gaza Strip are not the enemy' and that it makes 'every effort' to limit civilian casualties.3
  • Israel's response further alleged that it was, in fact, Hamas, the governing authority of Gaza, that had attempted 'to carry out genocide' when it attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Those attacks killed 1.2K people and seized an estimated 240 hostages.3
  • Following those attacks, Israel's bombardment and ongoing ground campaign have killed at least 21K people, according to the latest figures from Palestinian health officials. Meanwhile, though the ICJ is the UN's top court for international disputes, its rulings are sometimes ignored, as Russia did after the court ordered it to halt its military campaign in Ukraine. A date for a hearing into South Africa's application has yet to be set.1

Sources: 1Reuters, 2BBC News and 3The Times of Israel.

Narratives

  • Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. South Africa's application to the ICJ comes following nearly three months of brutal Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. These attacks have killed more than 21K Palestinians and prompted roughly 2M people to be displaced from their homes. This application is clearly a very important step to hold Israel accountable for these crimes.
  • Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by The Times of Israel. Israel utterly rejects and condemns South Africa's application to the ICJ. Not only are these allegations baseless, they have no judicial basis. It's Hamas that's intent on wiping out the State of Israel, just as it demonstrated during the Oct. 7 attacks. By filing this application, South Africa is collaborating with Hamas in these anti-Semitic desires.

Predictions