South Africa's ICJ Genocide Case Against Israel
South Africa v. Israel: The Landmark ➡️ ICJ Genocide Case
Supported by many other nations, South Africa aims to hold Israeli officials accountable for genocidal intent in Israel's war on Hamas and Gaza. The South Africa against the State of Israel proceedings began December 29, 2023 and full hearings were held in The Hague on January 11 and 12, 2024. The case was well presented and will decide whether Israel is in violation of the Genocide Convention for their war crimes and atrocities against Palestinian people.
The genocide case is a historical step in international law which could set a precedent for other atrocities and also have far-reaching implications for those who have committed serious war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Also for any states who are complicit with it. Israel has denied all allegations including genocidal intent and accuses South Africa of serious misinterpretation and cooperating with terrorist organisation Hamas.
South Africa has a special connection to the situation in Gaza as it draws on its own history of overcoming apartheid. Drawing worldwide attention, Better World Info hopes that the outcome of this case sparks greater justice and accountability regarding important issues such as war crimes and our international responsibility to prevent genocidal atrocities from happening in the future.
The ICJ ruling on January 26 stated that Israel must take all measures to protect civilians and avoid genocide, but it fell short of ordering a ceasefire. The ruling is a win for justice and the rule of law, but still allows Israel to continue their military operations in Gaza.
“The International Court of Justice has delivered a landmark ruling to protect Palestinians in Gaza from acts of genocide. Israel is obliged under international law to abide by the Court’s binding judgement and implement all the provisional measures with immediate effect. Israel’s allies, in particular the United States, must also respect the Court’s ruling and refrain from any statements or actions that would undermine the Court’s authority. All parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law and end the suffering of civilians now. The rule of law must be upheld, always.” - Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
One month after proceedings, Israel was required to report back to the court, this report has not yet been published. As of March, the Republic of Ireland has decided to intervene in proceedings as they denounce the blatant violation of humanitarian law by Israel. This announcement comes as Israel prepares for its ground offense in the city of Rafah, a relative safe haven for Palestinian refugees.
As it stands, Israel is still obstructing the provision of essential humanitarian aid and basic services such as fuel and water. Aid missions and trucks remain severely restricted. These actions have been condemned as a violation of the ICJ ruling and Israel is being accused of using starvation as a weapon of war.
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Author: Rachael Mellor, 15.01.24, updated 31.03.24, licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0
For further reading on the ICJ case see below ⬇️
- Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem - ICJ 402949
- Verbatim Record: Public Sitting (South Africa): held on Thursday 11 January 2024, at 10 a.m., at the Peace Palace *.pdf393573
- Verbatim Record: Public Sitting - Israel: held on Thursday 12 January 2024, at 10 a.m., at the Peace Palace *.pdf 393975
- Request for the indication of PROVISIONAL MEASURES - Conclusion of the public hearings held on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 January 2024393976
- ICJ - PROCEEDINGS instituted by South Africa against the State of Israel on 29 December 2023392735
- International Court of Justice - PROCEEDINGS instituted by by South Africa against the State of Israel *.pdf392804
- Organizational Sign-on Letter Calling on States to Support South Africa's Genocide Convention Case Against Israel at the ICJ397289
- URGENT Call from Palestine to States Parties of the Genocide Convention: Support South Africa’s ICJ Suit Against Israel over its Gaza Genocide393114
- South Africa v. Israel (Genocide Convention) - WIKIPEDIA392742
- Allegations of genocide in the 2023 Israeli attack on Gaza - Wikipedia393358
- Law for Palestine Releases Database with 500+ Instances of Israeli Incitement to Genocide – Continuously Updated393716
- Provisional Measure of Protection - Wikipedia393361
- Genocide Convention (1948) - Wikipedia392802
- Genocide Convention - Wikisource392803
- @OxfordDiplomat394647
- #ICJ4Israel392838
- #ICJGenocideConvention395640
- #ProvisionalMeasures395811
- #ICC4Israel394254
- The Amalek - Wikipedia393356
- Ukraine v. Russian Federation (2022) - Wikipedia393715
- Allegations of genocide of Ukrainians in the Russian invasion of Ukraine - Wikipedia393077
- Rohingya Genocide case - The Gambia v. Myanmar (2019) - Wikipedia393357
- Bosnian Genocide case - Bosnia and Herzegovina v Serbia and Montenegro (2007) - Wikipedia393360
- International court of justice - Guardian 393880
- Open Letter from Jews to the German Government & other European Nations: Support South Africa at the World Court-Do Not Aid & Abet Israel’s Genocide in Gaza395873
- Israel’s security at core of German foreign policy due to Holocaust, ICJ hears - Guardian 09.04.24406490
- Tweet: Western media is ignoring the fact that Nicaragua has dragged Germany to the ICJ for complicity in genocide. And Nicaragua is doing this brilliantly. Let's make sure w…406769
- Colombia seeks to join Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ - Al Jazeera 05.04.24406123
- The legal case for imposing embargoes on Israel - Al Jazeera 03.04.24407612
- World court’s ruling spotlights Gaza’s humanitarian crisis: The world cannot stand idly by while innocent Palestinian lives hang in the balance - Gulf News 02.04.24405490
- Video: Will the ICJ’s latest orders help Palestinians under attack in Gaza? - Al Jazeera 29.03.24404562
- New ICJ ruling ordering ‘unhindered’ aid ‘at scale’ for Gaza is welcomed by Euro-Med Monitor - Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor 29.03.24404777
- World warns Israel to obey ICJ on Gaza aid as Netanyahu plans Rafah assault - Al Jazeera 29.03.24404560
- World court issues fresh measures for Israel as crisis deepens - UN News 28.03.24404620
- ICJ orders Israel to take action to address famine in Gaza - Al Jazeera 28.03.24404617
- Gaza: World court issues fresh measures for Israel as crisis deepens - UN News Centre 28.03.24404776
- Are US-South Africa ties at breaking point over Israel’s war on Gaza? - Al Jazeera 28.03.24404566
- Ireland to intervene in South Africa genocide case against Israel at ICJ - Aljazeera 28.03.24404456
- Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) The Court indicates additional provisional …404778
- Report: Israel continues to violate ICJ ruling on Gaza - Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor 25.03.24404978
- Israel Is Still Flouting the ICJ’s Genocide Order - Jacobin 20.03.24403446
- Israel bloquea system the humanitaria respuesta pese a la exigencia de la CIJ en el juicio para genecidio - Oxfam 18.03.24405111
- Israel’s war on Gaza updates: Israeli strikes kill dozens of Palestinians - Al Jazeera 09.03.24403017
- South Africa Asks ICJ to Help Stop “Imminent Tragedy” in Gaza; Canada to Resume UNRWA Funding - DN! 07.03.24401852
- SA requests ICJ to act to prevent famine in Gaza - South African Government News Agency 07.03.24401652
- South Africa asks ICJ for more measures against Israel over Gaza ‘famine’ - Al Jazeera 06.03.24402588
- The Republic of South Africa submits an urgent request for the indication of additional provisional measures and the modification of the Court’s prior provisional measures Or…401097
- South Africa asks ICJ to prevent famine - Al Jazeera 06.03.24401203
- The ICJ Case on Israeli Occupation: A Report - Arab Center Washington DC 04.03.24401498
- Tweet: International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan is now a pawn of #US Empire. He went to #Israel to meet victims of Hamas attack but refused to meet victims of Israe…402552
- The Republic of Nicaragua institutes proceedings against the Federal Republic of Germany and requests the Court to indicate provisional measures - International Court of Just…401098
- Application instituting proceedings and request for the indication of provisional measures - International Court of Justice 01.03.24401099
- The limits of international law: the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), Israel and the International Court of Justice - Elcano Royal Institute 01.03.24401478
- Annexes 1-15: Provisional measures, Proceedings instituted by the Republic of Nicaragua against the Federal Republic of Germany - International Court of Justice 01.03.24401100
- Israel, ICJ and the movement for a principled and just world order - Al Jazeera 28.02.24401256
- What’s the ICJ case against Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine? - Al Jazeera 19.02.24398261
- ICJ to review Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories - DW 19.02.24398257
- Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) Decision of the Court on South Africa’s req…398487
- Egypt to make argument before ICJ on Israel's 'illegal practices' against Palestinians - The New Arab 18.02.24398260
- SA welcomes ICJ injunction to protect civilians in Rafah - SA News 18.02.24398258
- South Africa v. Israel: Killer Administration Gets Off Easy - Fair Observer 18.02.24398259
- What Does the ICJ Ruling Mean for Palestinians? - Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung 16.02.24398173
- Press release: Decision of the Court on South Africa’s request for additional provisional measures - ICJ 16.02.24398754
- ICJ demands implementation of Gaza measures, but no new action on Rafah - Al Jazeera 16.02.24398169
- Top UN court rejects S.Africa request for more Gaza measures - France24 16.02.24398172
- Could the US and other states be implicated in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel? - Atlantic Council 16.02.24398171
- Israel Urges World Court to Reject South Africa Appeal Over Rafah - VOA 15.02.24398170
- Observations of the State of Israel on the request for additional measures under Article 75 (1) of the Rules of Court - ICJ 15.02.24398753
- South Africa’s request to ICJ to prevent an unprecedented massacre in Rafah is welcomed by Euro-Med Monitor - Euro-Med Monitor 14.02.24397907
- South Africa asks ICJ to consider action on Israel’s Rafah assault - Politico 13.02.24397905
- Herzog says South Africa twisted his words for ICJ genocide case - The Times of Israel 12.02.24397906
- Request for additional measures under Article 75(1) of the Rules of Court submitted by South Africa - ICJ 12.02.24398752
- Video: Is Israel in breach of the ruling by the International Court of Justice? - Al Jazeera 11.02.24397590
- South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor reveals threats to family in wake of ICJ case against Israel - Peoples Dispatch 09.02.24397291
- ‘What use is this court if it can’t stop the war?’ Gazans react to ICJ ruling - +972 Magazine 09.02.24399021
- South Africa’s Quest to Retake the Moral High Ground - Foreign Affairs 08.02.24396976
- Palestine: Rights groups demand action from online platforms in wake of ICJ ruling - IFEX 08.02.24397290
- Press release: Nicaragua requests permission to intervene in the proceedings under Article 62 of the Statute - ICJ 08.02.24398751
- Nicaragua seeks to join South Africa in World Court genocide case against Israel - Reuters 08.02.24396974
- Israel isn’t complying with the International Court of Justice ruling — what happens next? - Conversation 06.02.24397308
- ICJ ruling in South Africa versus Israel: An explainer - The Leaflet 06.02.24396978
- Israel isn’t complying with the International Court of Justice ruling — what happens next? - The Conversation 06.02.24396977
- ICJ’s Order to Prevent Genocide Applies to the Governments Arming Israel, Too - WILPF 05.02.24396979
- Israel shirked accountability for decades. Is the ICJ breaking its armor? - +972 Magazine 05.02.24399022
- The World Reacts to South Africa’s ICJ Case - Foreign Policy 04.02.24396975
- One week after the World’s court Ruling, Here is How Israel Violated it - Bisan 03.02.24397451
- Israel Could Face Further Legal Action For Non-Compliance of ICJ Ruling - Global Issues 02.02.24396903
- Israel Is Brazenly Defying the Order to Prevent Genocide - Jacobin 02.02.24396545
- Richard Falk: The ICJ ruling and implications for Israel - The Transnational 02.02.24397444
- One week after ICJ ruling, is Israel following the court’s orders? - Al Jazeera 02.02.24396523
- Israel has killed nearly 900 Palestinians since ICJ order to prevent acts of genocide - Intercept 02.02.24396712
- Video: Can South Africa’s genocide case at the ICJ stop Israel? - Al Jazeera 02.02.24396531
- South Africa’s ICJ Case Was Too Narrow - Foreign Policy 02.02.24396520
- The implications of the International Court of Justice’s ruling on South Africa's case against Israel - Middle East Institute 01.02.24403549
- 'Israel, Stop Killing' Says World Court - Peace News 01.02.24396705
- What South Africa Really Won at the ICJ - Foreign Policy 01.02.24396522
- South Africa’s Case Against Israel Is Hamas’s Lawfare Victory - Forbes 31.01.24396524
- Israeli Cabinet Members Join Settler Event of Thousands Calling for Ethnic Cleansing of Gaza - DN! 31.01.24396817
- The ICJ Decision on Provisional Measures: Shifting the Narrative on Palestine or Shifting the Grounds of International Law? - Third World Approaches to International Law Revi…403879