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“BRAZEN GALL”
Israel President Isaac Herzog has already hinted at his country’s likely defence against what he called an “atrocious and preposterous … claim”.
“We will present proudly our case of using self defence … under international humanitarian law,” he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed South Africa in a statement, saying it was Israel that was fighting “genocide” committed by Hamas militants.
“The State of Israel is accused of genocide at a time when it is fighting genocide,” Netanyahu said in the wake of South Africa’s submission.
“A terrorist organisation carried out the worst crime against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, and now someone comes to defend it in the name of the Holocaust? What brazen gall. The world is upside down,” he said.
The United States too is backing its ally Israel, with the State Department describing the charges as “unfounded”.
But Washington also distanced itself from some of the Israeli criticism of South Africa.
Asked about Israel’s charge that South Africa was serving as Hamas’ “legal arm”, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters that “that is not a characterisation I would make from up here when it comes to our South African partners”.
“But again, we continue to feel very strongly that the allegations that Israel is committing genocide are unfounded,” Patel said.
As it is an urgent procedure, the ICJ could rule in a matter of weeks.
Its rulings are final and cannot be appealed. However, countries do not always follow the court’s verdicts – the ICJ has ordered Russia to stop its invasion of Ukraine, for example.
But a court ruling against Israel would certainly increase political pressure on the country, with many speculating it could serve as a pretext for sanctions.
Cecily Rose, assistant professor of public international law at Leiden University, noted the court did not have to rule on the fundamentals of the case at this stage – that issue will likely take years.
“Instead, the court would only be evaluating whether there is a risk of irreparable prejudice to rights held under the Genocide Convention, in particular the right of the Palestinians in Gaza to be protected from acts that threaten their existence as a group,” Rose told AFP.
Dutch police kept rival demonstrations apart in The Hague. Hundreds of pro-Israeli protesters waving flags marched through the streets while a smaller group of pro-Palestinian supporters brandished placards saying: “End Israel apartheid.”
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