Israel is to face accusation of genocide before an international court, with hearings based on a South African complaint scheduled for January 11 and 12.
The dates were announced Wednesday by the International Court of Justice, the highest UN court, in The Hague.
According to the court, South Africa will make its case on January 11 and Israel on the 12th, with two hours planned for each side.
South Africa had invoked the Genocide Convention in its complaint filed with the court on Friday. Both South Africa and Israel have signed the convention.
For the time being, these are summary proceedings. South Africa had requested immediate measures, saying the court should order an end to the violence against Palestinians to protect their rights “from further serious and irreparable harm.”
According to South Africa, Israel’s attacks are “genocidal in nature,” as they are aimed at destroying the Palestinians in the area.
A spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Lior Haiat, has…