Africa-Press. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced that the United States will intervene before the court to defend its ally Israel against accusations of violating the Genocide Convention during the war in Gaza.
Washington submitted what is legally known as a “declaration of intervention” in the case filed by South Africa against Israel, stating in its submission that the accusations of “genocide” against Tel Aviv are “completely unfounded.”
The United States argued that South Africa’s case represents the latest episode in what it described as a long series of “baseless genocide accusations” directed at Israel over the decades.
In its memorandum, Washington said such accusations aim to “delegitimize the State of Israel and the Jewish people and justify or encourage terrorism against them.”
Course of the case
The case dates back to December 2023, when South Africa brought the lawsuit, arguing that the war in Gaza violates the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention of Genocide.
On October 28, 2024, Pretoria submitted its main legal brief on the merits of the case, consisting of 750 pages, supported by about 4,000 pages of documents and evidence.
More than 12 countries have requested to join the proceedings, meaning they will present their views before the court during hearings in a legal process that could last for years.
Several states have indicated their intention to support South Africa’s position, setting the stage for a significant legal confrontation at the Peace Palace in The Hague, where the court is based.
The ICJ judges previously issued provisional measures, ordering Israel to do everything in its power to prevent genocide in Gaza and allow humanitarian aid into the territory.
In a separate ruling, the court also stressed that Israel must ensure the basic necessities required for the survival of Palestinians.
Although the court’s rulings are legally binding, the ICJ lacks an enforcement mechanism to implement them on the ground.
On October 7, 2023, Israel launched a war on Gaza that lasted two years, leaving more than 72,000 Palestinians dead and over 171,000 injured, while destroying around 90% of civilian infrastructure, according to authorities in the enclave.
A ceasefire agreement was reached on October 10, 2025, but Israel has reportedly violated it daily, resulting in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of Palestinians.
