Supporting South Africa against the Israeli occupation is a humanitarian duty
Together for Justice applauded the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) swift action in reviewing South Africa’s request to file a case against Israel for committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and to issue an urgent ruling stating that Israel is in breach of its duties under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
A spokesman for the South African Ministry of International Relations, Clayson Monella, said that the first session would take place on January 11 at the court’s headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. The first hearing in The Hague is set for January 11 and 12.
On Friday, December 29, 2023, more than 80 days after the Israelis began their deadly war against the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in over 22,000 deaths and 56,000 injuries, the majority of which are women and children, South Africa filed the lawsuit with the ICJ.
The application was filed “concerning alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” the ICJ said in a press release.
“The conduct of Israel — through its State organs, State agents, and other persons and entities acting on its instructions or under its direction, control or influence — in relation to Palestinians in Gaza, is in violation of its obligations under the Genocide Convention,” the statement added.
The Applicant requests the Court to indicate 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”.
South Africa suspended relations with Israel on Nov. 21, in response to the Israeli genocide war on the Gaza Strip.
Together for Justice is calling on civil society organisations and free people worldwide to unite in their efforts to pressure their countries’ decision-makers to support South Africa’s efforts to seek justice for Palestinian victims and put an end to Israeli atrocities that have crossed all red lines. We will not stop until Israeli officials are held accountable.
