Status: 10.01.2024, 20:16 PM
By: Lisa Mahnke
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Israel must answer to the courts. The accusation of genocide weighs heavily. An urgent procedure in South Africa is intended to bring swift measures through.
The Hague – As of Thursday (11 January), Israel will have to answer to the International Court of Justice for the first time. The state was accused of violating the UN Genocide Convention in its military action in the Gaza Strip. South Africa indicted Israel on December 29, 2023, in an emergency application.
Among other things, the motion demanded an immediate end to the military operation. Thus, the accusation of genocide is not the main part of the complaint, but part of the reasoning. Before the judges can rule 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 justified the accusation of genocide by, among other things, high numbers of civilian Palestinian casualties caused by Israeli military violence. According to the report, more than 7,21 Palestinian victims have fallen since the beginning of the war on October 000. Israel, on the other hand, reaffirmed the right to self-defense after the Hamas attack in which around 1200,250 people were killed and <> people were kidnapped. About half of the people have been released so far.
The humanitarian charges against Israel were brought to court for the first time. (Symbolic photo) © picture alliance/dpa/AP | Hatem Ali
The lawsuit also included expulsions and mass expulsions, as well as the deprivation of food, medicine and hygiene. According to South Africa, Israel's actions can be placed in a "broader context of Israel's behavior toward the Palestinians during its 75-year apartheid, its 56-year warlike occupation of the Palestinian territories, and its 16-year blockade of the Gaza Strip," according to Human Rights Watch.
"Interim Measures" by Summary Proceedings – Main Proceedings on Israel May Take Years
High-level delegations of legal experts will accompany the two countries to The Hague. South Africa will have 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 accusation may 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 help with a longer judicial process.
In the past few months, accusations of war crimes by Israel have surfaced repeatedly. According to Der Spiegel, Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed the idea of promoting the "resettlement of the residents of the Gaza Strip." At the same time, there are accusations about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. (dpa/LisMah)