What we know about South Africa's petition to the ICJ to stop the Israeli invasion of Rafah
South Africa on May 10 submitted an urgent request for additional proceedings in the genocide case against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The court will pronounce its verdict today.
South Africa accused Israel of using mandatory evacuation orders to “endanger rather than protect the lives of civilians” in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
A South African lawyer, Professor Max du Plessis, condemned the forced eviction of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Rafah and the Israeli designation of “humanitarian zones” in other parts of Gaza.
Du Plessis told an ICJ hearing in The Hague on May 16 that the measures “endanger rather than protect civilian life”.
“The so-called 'humanitarian zones' are not safe, those areas are guarded by the same Israeli forces that attacked the Palestinians,” he said.
“Israel has defied this court by trapping, besieging and bombing overcrowded Rafah,” he added.
“Genocidal intent”: Israel's “massive bombardment” of Rafah and sealing off entry and exit of “vital aid to an already devastated population” suggests “genocidal intent,” the lawyer argued, adding that the Israeli army's attack on the city was “deliberately directed.” Conditions to bring about the “physical and biological destruction” of Palestinians.”
Hearing before the ICJ: Dismissing South Africa's claim of violation of the 1949 Genocide Convention as “baseless”, Deputy Attorney General for International Law Gilad Noam responded to the accusations, saying, “Repeatedly calling something genocide is not genocide. Armed conflict is not tantamount to genocide,” Noam argued.
