Corbyn to join South Africa’s ‘genocide’ case against Israel

JEREMY CORBYN will join a South African government delegation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague for the country’s forthcoming genocide case against Israel.

The former leader of the Labour Party will be one of a number of “senior political figures from progressive political parties and movements across the globe” who will join the delegation, Pretoria said.

Later this week, the ICJ, which is the United Nations’ highest legal body, will hear the South African case accusing Israel of genocide during the war in Gaza and seeking an emergency suspension of the military campaign.

In an 84-page filing, South Africa argues that by killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing them serious mental and bodily harm and by creating conditions on life “calculated to bring about their physical destruction”, Israel is committing genocide.

Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, has called the ICJ case “atrocious and preposterous” and Israel’s military has said that it makes utmost efforts to avoid civilian casualties.

The hearings are due to take place tomorrow and on and Friday, when South Africa and Israel will both have two hours on separate days to make their case for or against emergency measures.

The South African delegation of officials and diplomats will be led by Ronald Lamola, the country’s justice minister.

Beyond Mr Corbyn, the South African government did not name any of the other worldwide political figures it said would join the delegation.

Earlier this week, Mr Corbyn called on the British Government to back South Africa’s case.

He said: “Can the Government not understand the anger around the world when they watch this happening in real time, and why so many people are very pleased that the government of South Africa have taken the initiative by going to the International Court of Justice to hold Israel to account for the deaths of so many wholly innocent people in Gaza?”

Andrew Mitchell, the Development Minister, said that the use of “inflammatory” terms such as genocide was “unhelpful”.

The White House has called South Africa’s case “meritless, counterproductive, and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever”.