Second Day of International Court of Justice Session; Israel Rejects South Africa's Allegations

On Friday, January 12, Israel rejected allegations from South Africa regarding violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention and genocide in Gaza during the second day of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) session in The Hague. According to Reuters, the Israeli representative urged the judges to dismiss South Africa's request to halt military operations, stating that Israel would be left defenseless. South Africa submitted a complaint to the ICJ in December of the previous year, and on Thursday, January 11, requested that the judges issue emergency measures to immediately stop the attacks in Gaza. In this context, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted strongly on Thursday, stating, 'The hypocrisy of South Africa reaches the heavens.' He added, 'We are fighting terrorists, we are fighting lies... Today we witness an upside-down world. Israel is accused of genocide while it fights against genocide.' The Israeli Foreign Ministry accused South Africa of playing the role of the legal arm of the terrorist organization Hamas in a case built on 'false and baseless claims.' In its complaint, South Africa accused Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention, which was enacted following the mass murder of Jews in the Holocaust and obligates all countries to ensure that such crimes are never repeated. Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, a lawyer from the South African High Court at The Hague, accused Israel of intending genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. South Africa requested that the court issue a preliminary order for Israel to stop the war in Gaza while the case is being processed. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Tuesday, January 10, rejected South Africa's allegations, reminding that Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, and their supporter, the Islamic Republic, continue to seek the destruction of Israel and the genocide of Jews. Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the European Union, the UK, Canada, Japan, and several other countries. Since the beginning of the new year, Israel has announced a new phase of the war with the commencement of troop withdrawals in the northern half of the Gaza Strip. While Washington has supported Israel's right to self-defense, it has also urged its ally to reduce the war, make greater efforts to protect civilians, and allow hope for an independent Palestinian state in the future to be preserved.