CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: South Africa Urges International Court of Justice (ICJ) to Order Ceasefire in Gaza, Halt Israel’s Rafah Operation
CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: South Africa Urges International Court of Justice (ICJ) to Order Ceasefire in Gaza, Halt Israel’s Rafah Operation
South Africa has informed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that it must take firmer measures to force Israel to end the war in Gaza and protect civilians in the Palestinian territory.
South Africa presented its arguments before the International Criminal Court on Thursday as part of a new application in its genocide case against Israel.
This is the country’s second appearance before the International Court of Justice against Israel, following preliminary directives in January to scale down Israel’s operations in Gaza.
South Africa argued that Israel’s latest military assault on the southern city of Rafah, where approximately 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge, is the “last step in the destruction of all Gaza” and that the court must order Israel to halt all military activity in Gaza and withdraw its forces completely.
Adila Hassim of the South African legal team stated that this was “the only order that will protect Palestinian life in Gaza” in her remarks, which were extremely emotional.
Advocate Tembeka Ngcukatoibi argued that Israel’s leaders had genocidal intent in statements made after the court’s last order for additional provisional measures in March.
Earlier, Professor John Dugard argued that Israel’s actions violate fundamental principles of humanitarian law and are a “final blow” to the suffering Palestinians in Gaza.
In his inaugural address, South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Vusi Madonsela, stated that the magnitude of Israel’s attacks necessitates the court’s “urgent and speedy proceedings to preserve the rights of the Palestinian people, a commitment that South Africa takes seriously”.
Judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have already issued provisional measures ordering Israel to take actions to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza.
In March, the ICJ agreed with South Africa that the situation in Gaza had deteriorated dramatically since the initial order on Jan. 26, which Israel had failed to comply with.
The UN’s top court allowed South Africa’s urgent request to impose further emergency restrictions against Israel, accusing it of violating current sanctions and causing irreparable harm to the rights asserted by Pretoria under the 1948 Genocide Convention in relation to the ongoing siege of Gaza.
In its application, South Africa warned that Palestinians in Gaza are in desperate straits and that it was “compelled to return to the Court in light of the new facts and changes in the situation in Gaza — particularly the situation of widespread starvation.”
The World Court stated that because Israel failed to comply with its initial order in January, it was essential for the Court to issue further provisional measures.
NEWS SOURCE & LINKS:
The Citizen
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