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It’s a big day for South Africa, Israel and Palestine tomorrow and Friday.

Our government is taking its genocide case against Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICJ) also known as the World Court tomorrow and Friday.

The 84-page application, which has the SA government state that Israel’s military campaign against Hamas and attack on Palestinians is genocidal as “they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group” will be heard in The Hague, Netherlands.

The application further states that “intent is also properly to be inferred from the nature and conduct of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, having regard inter alia to Israel’s failure to provide or ensure essential food, water, medicine, fuel, shelter and other humanitarian assistance for the besieged and blockaded Palestinian people, which has pushed them to the brink of famine.”

The UN’s genocide convention describes genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.

While Israel has rubbished claims of genocide, saying that South Africa’s case to be presented tomorrow is ‘baseless’, per SA PEOPLE, the SA government stands to accuse Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention by failing to prevent genocide which has been incited by senior government officials.

EWN notes that well over 500 Israeli citizens have already signed the online petition to be submitted to the ICJ in support of SA’s case against Israel. The petition’s initiators include Tel Aviv University professor, Anat Matar, social worker, Lior Kay, and Israeli peace activist, Jonathan Pollak who say they are prepared to face oppressive consequences from authorities for supporting South Africa’s case.

They argue that Hamas’ attacks on Israel last October do not warrant the complete destruction of the Gaza Strip and the killing of 22,000 Palestinians including leading academics, writers, doctors, medical staff and journalists.

The petitioners strongly believe that Israel is taking systematic steps to wipe out the population of Gaza, to starve, abuse and displace them, arguing that Israel is violating its obligations to prevent genocide.

The Daily Maverick has a comprehensive article about how SA’s case against Israel will be argued, and the prospects for success.

In a nutshell, the article discusses how SA’s case draws on the precedent set in The Gambia v Myanmar case and focuses on ICJ jurisdiction, South Africa’s standing to bring the application, and the need for provisional measures. The article presents a detailed account of genocidal acts in Gaza, including killings, harm to Palestinians, mass displacement, deprivation of basic necessities, destruction of infrastructure, and measures to prevent Palestinian births.

The article further questions the effectiveness of an ICJ order in stopping Israel’s actions but emphasises the potential for establishing moral and legal authority against such actions and garnering global solidarity for the Palestinian cause.

Ultimately, South Africa argues that genocide is occurring and seeks immediate measures, such as a ceasefire and evidence preservation.

[source:sapeople&ewn&dailymaverick]