Israel denies, South Africa calls "genocide" an escalation and urges the International Court of Justice to take measures
According to reports on May 17, the South African government urged the United Nations International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, to take "provisional measures" to stop Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip. Israel denies South Africa's accusations.
Reuters reported that South Africa's ambassador to the Netherlands, Madonsela, said, "Israel's genocide is advancing rapidly and has reached a heinous new stage." Madonsela also said that he asked the court to order Israel to "immediately and completely and the unconditional withdrawal of troops from the entire Gaza Strip.”
On May 9, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved the expansion of Israeli military operations in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. The next day, the South African government urged the International Court of Justice to urgently issue relevant "temporary measures" in this regard, requiring Israel to immediately cease military operations in Rafah and withdraw its troops.
In response, Noem, the deputy attorney general for international law at the Israeli Ministry of Justice, said that South Africa's case accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza was "out of touch with the facts" and called it a "mockery" of this serious accusation.
However, reports pointed out that when Tugman, the chief deputy legal adviser of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made his final statement and asked the court to reject South Africa's request for interim measures, someone in the court shouted "liar".
The Guardian stated that Tugman said that Israel had complied with previous UN orders regarding allowing food to enter Gaza and preventing genocide, and introduced Israel’s measures to protect civilians, including placing leaflets ordering evacuation, New border crossings in the north, etc.
However, these crossings are not yet open to United Nations agencies, which provide most of the food aid to Gaza. United Nations data shows that between May 6 and May 15, only 33 trucks entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom port on the border with Israel.
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations dedicated to resolving disputes between states. Its judgments and "provisional measures" are binding and non-appealable. Although the ICJ lacks an enforcement mechanism, its decrees against a country may affect that country's international reputation and set judicial precedents.
In December 2023, South Africa filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice against Israel for committing "genocide" in Gaza. In January and March this year, the International Court of Justice issued "provisional measures" requiring Israel to comply with the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and to take all necessary measures to ensure unimpeded access of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
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