South Africa takes Israel to court
South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to decide if Israel is committing genocide in a war in Gaza. Genocide is a deliberate attempt to destroy part or all of a particular group of people. The ICJ is the most important court run by the United Nations (UN), a group of 193 countries that work together on the challenges facing humanity.
What is the case about?
On 11 January, lawyers representing South Africa told the ICJ that Israel’s government is committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
A long-running conflict between Israel and Palestine got much worse on 7 October last year when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 240 people as hostages (prisoners). Hamas is a military and political group that the UK, US and many other countries class as terrorists. Israel responded by attacking Gaza, where Hamas is based and more than two million Palestinians live. Since then, Hamas and Israel have been at war. Hamas officials say that 24,000 Palestinian people have been killed, more than 10,000 of them children.
At the ICJ, one of South Africa’s lawyers, Adila
Hassim, said the high number of Palestinian civilians (non-military people) killed or injured by Israeli attacks on Gaza is evidence of an illegal genocide. She also said that Israel has attacked hospitals and blocked essential supplies – such as water, food, fuel and medicine – from getting into Gaza. Hassim said Israel’s actions amounted to the “destruction of
Palestinian life”.
What did Israel say?
Lawyers for Israel rejected South Africa’s accusation. On 12 January, they told the court that Israel’s government aims to destroy Hamas only, and not Palestinian people. They said Israel is defending its people from Hamas, which wants to commit genocide against Israelis. One of the lawyers said Israel is fighting a war “it did not start and did not want”.
How have other countries responded?
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that Israel has a right to defend itself, and called South Africa’s case “unjustified”. The US government said South Africa’s case is “unfounded” but that Israel must “prevent civilian harm” in Gaza. Countries including Jordan, Turkey, Namibia and Pakistan have expressed
support for South Africa’s case.
What is the current situation?
On 14 January, the war had been going on for 100 days. About 85% of Gaza’s 2.2 million people have had to leave their homes. Hamas is still holding 132 Israeli hostages in Gaza. On 16 January, Israel and Hamas agreed a deal to release some of the hostages and allow some aid into Gaza.
What will happen next?
South Africa wants the court to tell Israel’s government to stop military operations in Gaza. The ICJ doesn’t have the power to do that but it would put pressure on Israel. Genocide is very hard to prove and it could be years before the ICJ makes a final decision.