SA has set up a landmark legal showdown at the International Court of Justice after accusing Israel of “genocidal acts” in its Gaza campaign. Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP
SA vs Israel: What will happen in World Court TOMORROW
Israel has rubbished claims of genocide and says South Africa’s case at the World Court tomorrow is ‘baseless’.
SA has set up a landmark legal showdown at the International Court of Justice after accusing Israel of “genocidal acts” in its Gaza campaign. Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP
The International Criminal Court (ICJ), also known as the World Court, will hear South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in The Hague, Netherlands, on Thursday and Friday.
South Africa’s government has applied for immediate provisional measures to order Israel to seize its military campaign against Palestine.
SOUTH AFRICA’S CASE
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In its 84-page application, the government says Israel’s military campaign against Hamas and attack on Palestinians is genocidal in character as ‘they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group.’
“That intent is also properly to be inferred from the nature and conduct of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, having regard inter alia to Israel’s failure to provide or ensure essential food, water, medicine, fuel, shelter and other humanitarian assistance for the besieged and blockaded Palestinian people, which has pushed them to the brink of famine.”
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THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION
The government has also accused Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention by failing to prevent genocide, which senior government officials have incited.
The Convention, which South Africa and Israel are signatories to, describe genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.
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HOW LONG WILL THE CASE TAKE
According to Reuters, each country will be given two hours on Thursday and Friday to make their legal arguments for or against provisional measures.
There will be no witnesses present or cross-examination.
The case itself will take years. However, the hearing will allow the court to order Israel to stop its attack in order to prevent an escalation of the war while the court looks at the merit of the case.
