South Africa is once again calling for action against Israel at the International Court of Justice. The country speaks of a genocide in Gaza. Israel’s representatives reject this with sharp words and, in turn, make accusations against South Africa.
Israel has once again rejected allegations before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that it is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s representative Gilad Noam called South Africa’s accusations a “distortion of the facts.” “South Africa is presenting to the court for the fourth time a picture that is completely divorced from the facts and circumstances,” Noam said in his statement. South Africa abuses international law in a “vile and cynical manner”.
Israel is doing more to protect Palestinian civilians than the “genocidal terrorist organization Hamas,” which uses its own citizens as human shields, the representative said.
Israeli counter-accusations
Noam emphasized that the complete withdrawal of troops from the entire Gaza Strip, demanded by South Africa as part of an urgent request, would mean that Israel would no longer be able to defend itself against the ongoing attacks by the Palestinian terrorist militia. Hamas has not backed down from its desire to destroy Israel. Rafah is now the “focal point of terrorist activity.”
Israel’s legal representative accused South Africa of wanting to “achieve a military advantage for Hamas” and thus essentially acting as a stooge of the terrorist organization. He referred to a meeting between the South African government and Hamas members last week.
Israel: Investigate misconduct
Noam acknowledged that rights violations could occur in armed conflict. However, the Israeli military adheres to international law and investigates allegations of misconduct. 55 criminal proceedings have been initiated, and inciting statements against Palestinians are also being prosecuted. Police are investigating an attack on an aid convoy on the way to Gaza that occurred near Hebron on May 13.
According to the head of the delegation, Israel had already submitted a report to the ICJ at the end of April on the steps it had taken to protect the Palestinian population and improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. He announced another report on the actions in Rafah in the next few days.
The hearing was temporarily interrupted by a disruption. While an Israeli legal representative was speaking, a woman in the courtroom shouted “liar.” She was then led out of the hall by security staff.
Fourth urgent application
It is the fourth time that South Africa has called for urgent measures against Israel. This comes as part of the genocide lawsuit that the country filed with the Court in December. The main proceedings are expected to drag on for years. However, in two emergency decisions, the UN judges had already obliged Israel to do everything possible to prevent genocide and allow humanitarian aid. According to South Africa, Israel has ignored these decisions.
In the current urgent application, South Africa is demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli military from the area around Rafah and subsequently from the entire Gaza Strip, as well as unhindered access for humanitarian aid, before the highest UN court. In its statement on Thursday, the country justified its demand with the dramatically changed situation of the population. Israel is deliberately denying people essential supplies.
South Africa: “Rafah is the end point”
Israel targeted tens of thousands of children and women, destroyed civilian infrastructure and starved the population. “From the beginning, Israel’s intention was to destroy the lives of Palestinians and wipe them from the earth. Rafah is the end point,” said South African lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi.
Another South African lawyer, Max du Plessis, said the safe zones declared by Israel were not worth their name because people were often too starving to flee there. And those who went to shelters were sometimes attacked by the Israeli military. “There is nothing humanitarian about these humanitarian zones,” says the lawyer. “Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians continues through military attacks and manufactured starvation.”