Israel Faces Charge At UN Top Court Over Alleged ‘Genocidal’ Acts In Gaza

Israel Faces Charge At UN Top Court Over Alleged ‘Genocidal’ Acts In Gaza

Israel is set to confront allegations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding its actions in Gaza.

The accusations, characterized as “genocidal” by South Africa, have been vehemently rejected by Israel’s president.

South Africa has urgently appealed to the ICJ to demand that Israel immediately halt its military operations in Gaza.

This legal showdown will take place at the Peace Palace in The Hague, where representatives from both countries will present their cases.

South Africa contends that Israel’s actions in Gaza violate its commitments under the UN Genocide Convention, a treaty established in 1948 following the Holocaust.

As a fellow signatory to the treaty, South Africa possesses the authority to bring Israel before the ICJ, commonly referred to as the “World Court,” which adjudicates disputes between nations.

South Africa has noted that the “particular weight of responsibility” of accusing Israel of genocide and “unequivocally” condemned the Hamas attacks that touched off the war in Gaza.

In a detailed 84-page submission to the court, Pretoria accuses Israel’s military activities in Gaza of being designed to bring about the destruction of a significant portion of the Palestinian national, racial, and ethnic group.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has strongly criticized these accusations and outlined his country’s anticipated defense.

“There’s nothing more atrocious and preposterous than this claim,” said Herzog.

“We will be in the International Court of Justice and we will present proudly our case of using self defence… under international humanitarian law,” he said.

He 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”.

Given the urgency of the proceedings, the ICJ may issue a ruling within weeks. The court’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

However, it’s important to note that nations don’t always comply with the court’s judgments; for instance, the ICJ previously ordered Russia to cease its invasion of Ukraine.

Cecily Rose, an assistant professor of public international law at Leiden University, explained that at this stage, the court is not obligated to rule on the substantive aspects of the case, which may take years to address.

“Instead, the court would only be evaluating whether there is a risk of irreparable prejudice to rights held under the Genocide Convention, in particular the right of the Palestinians in Gaza to be protected from acts that threaten their existence as a group,” Rose told AFP.