Egypt to join S. Africa's ICJ case against 'Israel' over Gaza genocide

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
12 May 2024 18:34
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The Egyptian Foreign Ministry says Cairo's decision comes "in light of the escalating severity and scope of the Israeli assaults against Palestinian civilians in Gaza."

Egyptian flags fly at the passageway leading to the Palestinian side of the Erez checkpoint with Gaza, at Beit Hanoun, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017. (AP)

Egypt announced on Sunday that it will intervene in the lawsuit filed by South Africa against "Israel" before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague over the Israeli genocidal war on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

In January the ICJ called on "Israel" to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza following the original South African request for international action.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry Sameh Shoukry explained in a statement that Cairo's decision comes "in light of the escalating severity and scope of the Israeli assaults against Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the systematic targeting of civilians and destruction of infrastructure in the Strip."

"These actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law, humanitarian law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 regarding the protection of civilians during wartime," he pointed out.

Egypt called on "Israel", as an occupying power, to comply with its obligations and implement interim measures ordered by the ICJ to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Cairo also urged the United Nations Security Council and stakeholders to urgently intervene to ensure a ceasefire in Gaza, stop military operations in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, and protect Palestinian civilians.

On May 7, Israeli occupation forces invaded the eastern part of Rafah and occupied the main Rafah crossing with Egypt.

The United Nations and other international aid agencies stressed that the closure of the Rafah crossing has severely restricted the flow of aid into southern Gaza, leaving the Strip isolated from external assistance, with very few supplies accessible within its confines.

Sources from the Red Crescent in Egypt also revealed that aid shipments to Gaza have come to a complete standstill.

Aggression on Rafah puts Egypt's normalization treaty with "Israel" at high-risk

A high-ranking Egyptian official confirmed that Cairo has lodged protests with "Israel", the United States, and some European governments over the Israeli aggression on Rafah, warning that the Israeli violation puts at high risk Egypt's normalization treaty with "Israel" (Camp David Accords), the Associated Press reported.

Egypt's state-owned Al Qahera News television channel also reported that Cairo has declined to cooperate with Tel Aviv regarding aid delivery through the Rafah crossing due to what it deems as the "unacceptable Israeli escalation."

The channel cited a senior Egyptian official as saying that Cairo holds "Israel" accountable for the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip.

Libya joins S. Africa's ICJ Gaza genocide case against 'Israel'

This comes shortly after the ICJ confirmed that Libya filed a declaration of intervention in the case brought up by South Africa against the Israeli occupation entity over the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip.

The court said that Libya filed its declaration "because it believes that acts and omissions by Israel are of genocidal 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."

The Libyan Embassy in the Netherlands said the Libyan side is awaiting July 10, as it is the deadline for South Africa and the Israeli occupation entity to submit their written observations regarding Libya's request.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced in early May that Turkey intends to join South Africa's case against "Israel".

South Africa on Friday sought new emergency measures by the ICJ against "Israel" over its latest aggression on Rafah, the court said in a statement.

South Africa's application said "Israel's" operation against Rafah poses an "extreme risk" to "humanitarian supplies and basic services into Gaza, to the survival of the Palestinian medical system, and to the very survival of Palestinians in Gaza as a group," the UN court mentioned in a statement.

The application accused "Israel" of "continuing violations of the Genocide Convention."

South Africa said "Israel" has been "contemptuous" of international law and called on the ICJ to order the occupation entity to "immediately withdraw and cease its military offensive" in Rafah.