South Africa has accused Israel of subjecting Palestinians to genocidal acts at the opening of hearings at the top U.N. court on a case brought against the devastating Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
In the case brought to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court on Thursday, South Africa demands an emergency suspension of Israel’s military campaign in the Palestinian enclave.
“South Africa contends that Israel has transgressed Article Two of the (Genocide) convention, committing acts that fall within the definition of genocide. The actions show a systematic pattern of conduct from which genocide can be inferred,” Adila Hassim, advocate of South Africa’s high court, told the ICJ.
South Africa points to Israel’s sustained bombing campaign which has killed over 23,000 people in the small, densely populated Gaza Strip, according to Gaza health authorities.
Israel has said South Africa’s case is baseless.
Israel launched all-out war after a cross-border rampage on Oct. 7 by militants of Gaza’s ruling Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 240 taken hostage back to Gaza.
The ICJ is hearing South Africa’s arguments on Thursday and Israel’s response to the allegations on Friday.
It is expected to rule on possible emergency measures later this month.
The court will not rule at that time on the genocide allegations – those proceedings could take years.
The ICJ’s decisions are final and without appeal, but the court has no way to enforce them.
Editor Oloyede Oworu
