THE HAGUE, Switzerland
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to deliver a ruling on South Africa's genocide case against Israel on Friday in the Hague. It will also rule on South Africa's demand for the court's urgent intervention to stop Israel's military operation in Gaza.
Judge Joan E. Donoghue, the
president of the court, will read out the order at 1 p.m. local time (1200 GMT)
during a public sitting at the Peace Palace.
On Dec. 29, 2023, South Africa
filed an application to the ICJ for proceedings against Israel, concerning
alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the UN Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide related to Palestinians in
the Gaza Strip.
In this application, South
Africa also requested the court to indicate provisional measures in order to
"protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the
Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention," and "to ensure
Israel's compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to
engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide."
During two-day public hearings
held earlier this month, South African representatives accused Israel of
"deliberate" and "systemic" genocide against Palestinians.
Israeli representatives argued that Israel's military operation in Gaza was an
act of self-defense, and denied South Africa's genocide accusation.
As the principal judicial
organ of the United Nations, the ICJ was established by the UN Charter in 1945.
It has the power "to indicate, if it considers that circumstances so
require, any provisional measures," while resolving legal disputes between
countries. Its judgment is final and without appeal.
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