ICJ to rule on South Africa's genocide case against 'Israel' soon

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Jan 2024 22:30

The urgency of the requested temporary measures has expedited the process, as confirmed by the ICJ's press office to reporters.

British jurist Malcolm Shaw, second left, legal adviser to Israeli Foreign Ministry Tal Becker, left, look on during the opening of the hearings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024 (AP)

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to render a decision on South Africa's case against "Israel", which filed genocide charges against the occupation regime.

The urgency of the requested temporary measures has expedited the process, as confirmed by the ICJ's press office to Ria Novosti on Thursday.

"While we do are not in a position to indicate the exact date of the reading of the сourt’s order, given that the procedure relates to provisional measures that are dealt with urgently, the decision can be expected soon," ICJ Associate Information Officer Avo Sevag Garabet said.

Legal battle underway

Today marked the first day of hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), during which South Africa asked the court to oblige "Israel" to immediately stop its military operation in the Gaza Strip.

South Africa's legal team stated, in its opening statement at The Hague, that South Africa has recognized the ongoing Nakba of the Palestinian people through "Israel's" colonization since 1948, "which has systematically and forcibly dispossessed, displaced and fragmented the Palestinian people, deliberately denying them the internationally recognised inalienable right to self-determination and their internationally recognized rights of return as refugees to their towns and villages in what is now the state of Israel."

It also presented The Hague with compelling evidence of genocide.

The South African team stated that Palestinians have been killed by the relentless Israeli bombing wherever Palestinians sought shelter, whether in schools, hospitals, mosques, or churches, "and as they tried to find food and water for their families." They have been killed if they failed to evacuate, killed in the places to which they have fled, and even killed while they attempted to flee along Israeli-declared safe routes. They described the level of killing as "so extensive that those whose bodies are found are buried in mass graves, often unidentified."

The Israeli Foreign Ministry later leveled petty accusations against the African State, accusing it of acting as the "legal arm of the Hamas terrorist organization."

Human Rights Watch accuses the US of international law breach

On a similar note, Human Rights Watch in its World Report 2024 asserted that the Biden administration's supply of arms to "Israel" violated domestic laws and policies in the United States, noting that the breach effectively violated international law.

"President Biden strongly criticized the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7 that resulted in the killing of hundreds of Israeli and other civilians. He committed increased support for Israel's defense beyond already approved annual military aid," the report stated. "Such security assistance and arms transfers violated US domestic laws and policies that condition US military aid on ensuring partners are not in violation of international law."

Following the October 7 events, the Biden administration sought an additional $14.3 billion for arms to "Israel," supplementing the yearly $3.8 billion in military aid provided by the US, as highlighted by HRW.

The US has either transferred or expressed intent to transfer various weapons, including small-diameter bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kits, 155mm artillery shells, and 1 million rounds of ammunition. Notably, shipments of small arms were suspended due to concerns about potential redirection to settlers involved in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Despite the ongoing genocide, the Biden administration has refrained from imposing conditions on how "Israel" utilizes its military aid. Both the Pentagon and the White House have expressed trust in "Israel's" responsible use of the assistance.