South Africa's ceasefire request in Gaza difficult for ICJ to dismiss
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A member of South Africa's legal team in the ICJ tells Al Mayadeen that the genocide case against the occupation is "extremely" detailed and well documented.
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Director general of South Africa's Foreign Ministry and member of the country's legal team to the International Court of Justice ICJ, Zane Dangor, during an online interview with Al Mayadeen on Friday, January 12, 2024 (Screengrab from Al Mayadeen TV broadcast)
The director general of South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation and member of the country's legal team to the International Court of Justice ICJ, Zane Dangor, stated that the team's position was "extremely" precise and accurate and based on facts that show the "systematic aggression that Palestine is subjected to."
Talking to Al Mayadeen, Dangor said that his country's judicial delegation to the court clearly detailed the Israeli intent to commit genocide, explaining that the presented case was "based on statements by the Israeli Prime Minister and other officials."
Read more: After second ICJ hearing, 'Israel' cuts internet, telecoms in Gaza
"We have shown that the intent for genocide in Gaza has evolved into acts of genocide," he said, noting that it would be extremely difficult for the occupation to "ignore its commission of genocide in light of the evidence we have presented."
Dangor also pointed out that what the Israeli team did was to describe "the political reasons behind its aggression without providing legal arguments in response to what we presented," affirming that "it will be very difficult for the judges to ignore our request to stop the war on Gaza."
"Essentially what [Israel] did [at the ICJ] was to try and blame Hamas for the killing of Palestinians."
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 12, 2024
Director-General of South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Zane Dangor, underscores #SouthAfrica's extensive efforts and the presentation of… pic.twitter.com/sCHqPEidqd
Yesterday, the first hearing session began at the International Court of Justice in the case brought by South Africa against "Israel," accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza.
In its 84-page case, South Africa included evidence that "Israel" is killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing severe psychological and physical harm, and creating living conditions "aimed at the physical extermination of those in the Strip."
The case points to "Israel deliberately not providing food, water, medicine, fuel, shelter, and other humanitarian assistance to Gaza during the war," in addition to its continuous war, which forced about 1.9 million Palestinians to evacuate their homes and killed more than 23,700 people, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
