South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice
Initial Hearing | Provisional Measures Hearings | 19 Feb Hearings | Nicaragua vs Germany | ICC
The Dissenting Judge
Reactions from Palestine
Reactions
Supporters
Nicaragua requests official intervention in the case against Israel
8 Feb, 2024: ICJ PRESS RELEASE: Nicaragua requests permission to intervene in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (SouthAfrica v. Israel) under Article 62 of the ICJ Statute. Nicaragua’s intervention states “Nicaragua requests the Court to adjudge and declare… that the State of Israel has breached and continues to breach its obligations under the Genocide Convention…” They go on to ask the court to declare that Israel must cease all genocidal acts (killing, bodily and mental harm, etc), collect and conserve evidence, punish those involved, allow for the “safe and dignified return of forcibly displaced and/or abducted Palestinians to their homes,” provide for the reconstruction of Gaza, etc.
CASE IN CALIFORNIA COURT AGAINST BIDEN
US court affirms ICJ case attacked by 210 House members & Biden “As the ICJ has found, it is plausible that Israel’s conduct amounts to genocide…Court implores Defendants to examine the results of their unflagging support of the military siege against the Palestinians in Gaza.”
A federal judge just ruled the Biden admin appears to be supporting a genocide, but that he must dismiss the case under the political question doctrine despite preferring otherwise.
Follow-ups by South Africa
Text:
Tuesday, 13 February 2024
The South African Government has made an urgent request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to consider whether the decision announced by Israel to extend its military operations in Rafah, which is the last refuge for surviving people in Gaza, requires that the court uses its power to prevent further imminent breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.
Under Article 75(1) of the Rules of Court, “The Court may at any time decide to examine proprio motu whether the circumstances of the case require the indication of provisional measures which ought to be taken or complied with by any or all of the parties.”
In a request submitted to the court yesterday (12 February 2024), the South African government said it was gravely concerned that the unprecedented military offensive against Rafah, as announced by the State of Israel, has already led to and will result in further large scale killing, harm and destruction. This would be in serious and irreparable breach both of the Genocide Convention and of the Court’s Order of 26 January 2024.
South Africa trusts this matter will receive the necessary urgency in light of the daily death toll in Gaza.
Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to President Cyril Ramaphosa – media@presidency.gov.za
Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
Press Release for hearing in February 2024
9 Feb 2024: The ICJ issued a press release stating that it will hold public hearings on the request for advisory opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, from 19 to 26 February 2024
Notice of intention to hold US government accountable
Reactions from the US and Israel
What the ruling means
PRESS RELEASE: #Chile, invoking Article 63 of the #ICJ Statute, filed a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (#SouthAfrica v. #Israel) https://bit.ly/4glXTlw
“Let me be very clear: Threats against the ICC promote a culture of impunity. They make a mockery of the decades-long quest to place law above force and atrocity.” – @SRjudgeslawyers
Margaret Satterthwaite