Israel will stand before the International Court of Justice in the Peace Palace at the Hauge, Netherlands. South Africa claims the Israeli government has committed crimes against humanity and, specifically, genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. In their arguments submitted to the ICJ, they argue that Israel has specifically targeted Palestinians and forced them into gruesome conditions that could wipe out the people as well as their home (the Gaza Strip). The Israeli militia has blocked off access to necessities like food, water, and medical equipment that could help in the current situation. South Africa’s arguments include reputable sources such as the U.N. and mention they will bring more evidence when the court case commences. It’s also noted they believe the Israeli government is acting with specific intent to destroy and erase the Palestinian people, an act of genocide. In Israel’s response, they denied these accusations of genocide while accusing South Africa of being criminally complacent with Hammas, and they confirmed that they would attend as well as defend themselves in the International Court.
The United States believes the actions of both countries distract from the genuine global challenges and we should focus more on the humanitarian issues. Furthermore, in the argument submitted by South Africa, the country believes Israel has broken the “1948 Convention” drafted after the end of WW2. The treaty establishes genocide as “ acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group”. Bolivia had applied their case against Israel to the International Criminal Court before the current call to action. Both the ICJ and the ICC, located in the Hauge, are equally important and have different purposes; the ICJ is meant to resolve conflicts between states, while the ICC is used to prosecute individuals for international crimes.
In analysis, this ICJ case should be written in future history books. A call to action like this is one we rarely see in the modern world anymore, and more and more countries will start to be influenced by the best way to handle conflicting situations: diplomacy. Regionally, other countries like South Africa are aware of the current crisis in the Middle East, and they intend to bring awareness to the situation and show that the international community disapproves of the 23,000 innocent Palestinians wrongfully murdered, of whom 10,000 have been children. A crisis like this must be solved through diplomatic means, and if the Israeli government does not listen to our cries for justice, then force should be applicable, and the countries who drafted these arguments against the government should also create a plan for further conflict resolution.
https://www.ejiltalk.org/implications-of-the-icj-order-south-africa-v-israel-for-third-states/
As of today, the case is still ongoing, and it is unknown how Israel will react. However, it may take unreasonable effort and pressure to stop Israel from breaking said fundamental human rights and civil liberties. South Africa says they believe the acts committed by Israel constitute genocide, and furthermore, they are neglecting those who are responsible for these heinous acts. The ICJ ruled that “at least some of the rights claimed by South Africa and for which it is seeking protection are plausible” (para. 54). Specifically the effects on the Palestinian population being “extremely vulnerable.”