The government of South Africa on Friday instituted proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the State of Israel for committing ‘genocidal acts’ in Gaza.
In the 84-page document submitted to the court, South Africa said, “The acts and omissions by Israel … are genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group, that being part of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip.”
It noted that these acts are committed through Israeli State organs, state agents, and other persons and entities acting on its instructions concerning Palestinians in Gaza which violates its obligations under the Genocide Convention.
Both Israel and South Africa are state parties to the Genocide Convention of 1948. “South Africa is under a treaty obligation to prevent genocide from occurring,” the country said, hence the reason for instituting the proceeding.
