Israel must answer in court. The accusation of genocide is serious. An urgent procedure by South Africa is intended to bring about quick measures.
The Hague – From Thursday (January 11th) must Israel for the first time before the International Court of Justice. The state was found violating the U.N.-Genocide Convention in military action Gaza Strip accused. South Africa sued Israel in an urgent application procedure on December 29, 2023.
The application called, among other things, for the immediate end of the military operation. The accusation of genocide is not the main part of the complaint, but it is part of the justification. Before the judges can decide on the conflict between Israel and South Africa, a possible violation of the Genocide Convention must first be evaluated.
Many deaths in Gaza – South Africa sees “broader context”
South Africa based the accusation of genocide, among other things, on the high number of civilian Palestinian victims caused by Israeli military violence. According to this, more than 21,000 Palestinian victims have fallen since the war began on October 7th. Israel, however, reaffirmed the right to self-defense after the attack Hamas, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 250 people were kidnapped. About half of the people have been released so far.
The lawsuit also included expulsions and mass displacement as well as the deprivation of food, medicine and hygiene supplies. Israel's actions can be placed in the “broader context of Israel's behavior towards the Palestinians during its 75 years of apartheid, its 56 years of military occupation of the Palestinian territories and its 16 years of blockade of the Gaza Strip,” according to South Africa Human Rights Watch.
“Interim measures” through expedited proceedings – main proceedings on Israel can take years
High-level delegations of legal experts accompany the two states to The Hague. South Africa has the floor on Thursday, followed by Israel's reaction on Friday. The decision on the urgent application for “interim measures” is expected in a few weeks, while the main proceedings on the genocide allegation could drag on for several years. In the urgent application, South Africa also called for the preservation of evidence and access for fact-finding missions that could be helpful in a longer legal process.
Over the past few months, allegations of war crimes by Israel have repeatedly arisen. According to that Mirror Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed the idea of promoting the “resettlement of Gaza residents.” At the same time, there are allegations about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. (dpa/LisMah)
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