Africa-Press – Mauritius. South Africa has accused the state of Israel of violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in a complaint lodged with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday, December 29.
To justify its action, Pretoria has invoked the “obligations” of South Africa to prevent genocide and “to protect the Palestinian people in Gaza” from “destruction.
” The Israeli foreign ministry reacted on Friday, saying that “Israel rejects with disgust the blood libel.
” It criticized South Africa for “despicable and contemptuous exploitation of the Court.
Even before the judges issue a ruling – as this case could take years – Pretoria has asked them to take urgent action by ordering Israel to cease its operations in Gaza, desist from the forced displacement of Palestinians in the enclave and allow Gazans access to humanitarian aid.
Hearings could soon be scheduled at the Peace Palace in The Hague, home to the UN court responsible for settling disputes between states. Since the start of Israeli reprisals on October 7, at least 21,110 Palestinians have been killed and 7,780 are missing, according to the Gaza health authorities, South Africa pointed out in its complaint.
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