International Court of Justice’s Palace of Peace in The Hague (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, also called the World Court, to defend itself against the charge, brought forward by South Africa on Friday, that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The step is seen as unusual, as Israel tends to disregard and ignore politically motivated lawsuits targeting its conduct.
The decision was taken after long and intensive discussions by representatives of the IDF and the Defense and Justice Ministries on Monday, Ynet News reported.
“The State of Israel has signed the convention against genocide for decades, and we certainly do not boycott the discussion. We will stand by it and repel the absurd lawsuit that is a blood libel,” explained Tzachi Hanegbi, the National Security Advisor.
South Africa’s charge could lead to the censure of Israel and an interim order by the court to immediately halt the military operation in the Gaza Strip, which came in response to the horrific massacre by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
“Acts and omissions by Israel… are genocidal in character,” the lawsuits claimed, adding that their intent was “to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.”
A court hearing is likely to take place within days to weeks, while the case itself would likely take years.
“The Jewish people have experienced more than any other nation what extermination is,” said Hanegbi, “six million of our people were slaughtered with endless cruelty.”
“Similar cruelty was used against the citizens of Israel in the October 7 massacre, except that this time we have the ability to defend ourselves against those who rise to destroy us. The unfounded claim against the victim’s right to defend himself is a disgrace, and we expect all civilized countries to sympathize with our determination,” Hanegbi added.
In a first statement after the lawsuit was filed, an Israeli Foreign Ministry statement had rejected the accusations “with disgust” and charged that the claim was a “despicable and contemptuous exploitation” of the court.
Israel operates according to international law and focuses its military actions solely against Hamas, adding that “The people of Gaza are not an enemy of Israel, who is making efforts to limit harm to non-combatants.”
South Africa has been a fierce critic of Israeli actions since Oct. 7, and in November convened a virtual summit of the ‘BRICS’ group of nations to discuss the Israel-Hamas war.
The African nation has voiced its ongoing support for the Palestinian cause and designated Israel as an apartheid state, comparing the current situation between Israel and the Hamas terror organization to its own history of struggle with apartheid.
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