South Africa’s case against Israel, filed in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), over genocide in Gaza, is garnering support from several governments, especially since the first public hearings at the Peace Palace in the Hague are set to take place on Thursday 11 Friday 12 January 2024.
The African country accuses Israeli of being “in violation of its obligations under the Genocide Convention” in its application and argues that “acts and omissions by Israel … are genocidal in character, as they are committed with the requisite specific intent … to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.”
The purpose of this legal action is to protect Palestinian rights from any “further, severe and irreparable harm,” and “ensure Israel’s compliance to its obligations under the Genocide Convention.”
In an 84-page complaint, Cape Town provided extensive evidence of genocidal intent demonstrated in various public statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and other high-ranking officials.
The complaint also highlighted Israel’s bombardment and forcible displacement of civilians.
Malaysia:
Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry endorsed South Africa’s application to ICJ against Israel’s violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
“The legal action against Israel before ICJ is a timely and tangible step towards legal accountability for Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) at large,” highlighted in the official statement.
Malaysia also urged Israel to grant the Palestinians an independent, sovereign state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Turkey:
“We welcome the application filed by the Republic of South Africa to the ICJ regarding Israel’s violation of its obligations under the 1948 Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,” said the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Öncü Keçeli.
He stressed that “Israel’s massacre of over 22 thousand Palestinian civilians in Gaza must not go unpunished” and perpetrators “must be held accountable under international law.”
Keçeli said that the International Court of Justice is expected to make provisional decisions to halt Israel’s attacks on Gaza within the context of this application.”
Jordan:
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Thursday that Amman will back South Africa’s submission filed at the ICJ concerning Israel’s alleged genocide in Gaza and violating the 1948 Genocide Convention, reported the New Arab.
His country would confer with experts to draft the necessary legal documents and support South Africa’s case.
Safadi also stressed that Amman will coordinate with Arab and Islamic nations to ensure coordination on this matter.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister emphasized his country’s commitment to halting Israeli aggression in Gaza, escalating illegal measures, killings, and terrorism perpetrated by settlers in the West Bank.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation:
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also declared full support for Cape Town’s genocide case filed against Israel before the ICJ.
“The OIC has affirmed that the indiscriminate targeting by Israel, the occupying power, of the civilian population and the thousands of Palestinians, mostly women and children, killed, injured, forcibly displaced, and denied basic necessities and humanitarian assistance and the destruction of houses, health, educational and religious institutions, in their totality constitute mass genocide,” said in a statement.
The OIC also urged the Court to swiftly intervene and take immediate action against the ongoing mass genocide by Israelis in Palestine.
South African Foreign Ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela expected that other countries would follow likewise, according to The Jerusalem Post.
In response to South Africa’s application, an Israeli government spokesman declared that his country’s representatives would appear in court to defend Israel’s stance, which he claimed was a blood libel against the Jewish state, according to The Time of Israel.
“The State of Israel emphatically condemns South Africa’s decision to play devil’s advocate and make itself criminally complicit with the perpetrators of the October 7 massacre,” defended Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy.
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