South Africa has taken legal action against Israel by filing a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging genocide crimes committed against Palestinians in Gaza.
The accusation follows a relentless Israeli bombardment lasting nearly three months, leading to the deaths of more than 21,500 people and widespread destruction within the besieged enclave, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The ICJ, known as the World Court, functions as a UN civil court settling disagreements among nations. It differs from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which prosecutes individuals accused of committing war crimes.
South Africa's submission to the International Court of Justice contends that "acts and omissions by Israel ... are genocidal in character" and executed with the deliberate aim of annihilating Palestinians residing in Gaza as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial, and ethnic community. The Associated Press reports South Africa has requested the court to order Israel to halt its attacks. This is the first such challenge made at the court over the current war. The AP continued to say that Israel swiftly rejected the filing "with disgust."
In a statement gleaned from the same Al Jazeera article regarding South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), it reads, "South Africa is gravely concerned with the plight of civilians caught in the present Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip due to the indiscriminate use of force and forcible removal of inhabitants," adding that the country has "repeatedly stated that it condemns all violence and attacks against all civilians, including Israelis."
Israel has gone so far as to refer to the move as "blood libel".
Lior Haiat, the spokesperson for Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Forbes the claim "lacks both a factual and a legal basis, and constitutes a despicable and contemptuous exploitation of the Court." Haiat went on to accuse South Africa of "cooperating with a terrorist organization that is calling for the destruction of the State of Israel," and called on the ICJ and international community to reject the case.
A hearing for South Africa's request for Israel to halt all military operations is likely in the next days or weeks. However, if the case proceeds, it could span several years, and compliance with court orders is not always followed.
