Israel-Gaza crisis: South Africa institutes application against Israel before ICJ
Pretoria, South Africa (PANA) - South Africa has filed an application instituting proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the South African media reported on Friday.
The application is concerning alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Geneva Convention in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the TimesLive reported, quoting a statement from the ICJ.
The statement aid according to the application by South Africa, “acts and omissions by Israel . . . are genocidal in character, as they are committed with the requisite specific intent . . . to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group”.
South Africa said: “Israel, since 7 October 2023 in particular, has failed to prevent genocide and has failed to prosecute the direct and public incitement to genocide” and that “Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza”.
The ICJ said the application also contains a request for the indication of provisional measures in order to “protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention” and “to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide”.
Nearly three months of land, air and sea bombardment of Gaza by Israel, following the 7 October attack against Israel by Hamas, has killed more than 21,500.
The ICJ is a UN civil court that adjudicates disputes between countries. It is different from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected y the UN General Assembly and the Security Council. There cannot be two judges of the same nationality.
-0- PANA MA 29Dec2023
