International Court of Justice (ICJ) has begun hearing South Africa’s landmark case of genocide against Israel in The Hague on Thursday.
South Africa wants the United Nations’ top court to act urgently “to protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the genocide convention, which continues to be violated with impunity”.
The case accuses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 13 other leaders of inciting deadly violence against Palestinians
WATCH LIVE: The ICJ holds public hearings on Gaza genocide
Israeli response
Israel has hit back at South Africa, accusing the BRICS nation of “playing devil’s advocate”.
‘The state of Israel emphatically condemns South Africa’s decision to play advocate for the devil and make itself criminal complicit with the perpetrators of the October 7 massacre,” said Israeli Government Spokesman in the October 7 War, Eylon Levy.
Levy has flipped the script, saying the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, committed genocide during the October 7 attacks.
“It was an act of genocide perpetrated with Nazi-like cruelty and Nazi-like efficiency in the service of a Nazi-like ideology.”
“Hamas openly makes clear its genocidal intent. On October 24, Hamas official Ghazi Hamad told Lebanese television, We must teach Israel a lesson and we will do this again and again.”
Israel also accused South Africa of aligning itself with a ‘rapist’ regime and supporting the group’s “machinery of genocide.”
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So far, Turkiye, Malaysia and the Arab League have backed South Africa’s case against Israel.
South Africa appoints Judge Dikgang Moseneke to the ICJ
South Africa has appointed Former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke to join the bench at the ICJ.
The BRICS member state has no permanent representation at the United Nations court. On Friday, the country’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation Department’s Clayson Monyela, confirmed that it approached Moseneke to join the bench.
The ICJ has 15 regular judges appointed under nine-year terms, and Moseneke will join the panel next week when Israel appears before the court.
South Africa’s Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Mr Ronald Lamola (MP) led the delegation to Peace Palace.
The South African delegation comprises of South Africa’s distinguished diplomats and officials namely:
Director General in the Presidency Ms Phindile Baleni Director General of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation Mr Zane Dangor;
Director General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development Advocate Mashabane; (former Deputy Ambassador for South Africa to the United Nations); and Special Advisor to the President of the Republic of South Africa Advocate Nokukhanya Jele.
Senior political figures from progressive political parties and movements across the globe, including Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the opposition in the United Kingdom, joined the South African delegation.
Minister Lamola said, “We are determined to see the end of the genocide that is currently taking place in Gaza. We are most encouraged by leaders of the world who have not blunted their consciousness and have stood on the right side of history by supporting a case that seeks to protect the rights of human beings, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity.”
