Israel condemned and rejected this Friday the complaint for genocide in Gaza filed against him by South Africa before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“Israel rejects with disgust the slander spread by South Africa and its complaint” to the ICJ, because “it lacks a factual and legal basis and constitutes a despicable and contemptuous use of the court,” a spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement. .
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He also stressed that “South Africa is cooperating” with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, “a terrorist group that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel” and commits “war crimes” and “against humanity,” and that “tried to commit genocide on October 7”, when he carried out a surprise attack on Israel that caused more than 1,200 deaths.
The ICJ said this Friday that it has received the complaint from South Africa, which argues that “Israel’s acts and omissions have a genocidal character, since they are committed with the specific intention required to destroy the Palestinians in Loop as part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group.”
South Africa adds that “the conduct of Israel, through its state organs, state agents and other persons and entities acting under its instructions or under its direction, control or influence, in relation to the Palestinians in Gaza, violates its obligations under the Genocide Convention,” adds the ICJ.
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In the documentation provided by Johannesburg, it is added that “Israel has participated, is participating and runs the risk of participating even more in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
The South African Government, which announced the breaking of diplomatic relations with Israel due to its offensive against Gaza after the Hamas attack on October 7, also requested last November the Prosecutor’s Office of the International Criminal Court (ICC, whose jurisdiction Israel does not recognize) to open an investigation against the Jewish State for its actions in the Strip.
Israel, for its part, assured today that Hamas is “responsible for the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza by using them as human shields and stealing humanitarian aid from them,” and stressed that the Israeli authorities “are committed to international law and act in accordance with it.” ”.
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The Israeli Army “directs its military efforts only against the terrorist organization Hamas and other organizations that cooperate” with this group, added Foreign Affairs, which assures that “the residents of Gaza are not the enemy.”
“Israel is doing everything possible to limit the damage to those not involved” in the fighting in Gaza, “and allow humanitarian aid to enter the Strip” and calls on the ICJ and the international community “to completely reject the claims unfounded allegations from South Africa,” the note states.
