Israel genocide case: South Africans show solidarity with ICJ legal team

By Hassan Isilow

South Africans on Thursday held solidarity march and prayers for their legal team arguing its case against Israel for allegedly committing a genocide in Gaza.

Scores of people gathered outside the Cape Town high court to express their solidarity with the counsels who presented their arguments at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands.

“We are showing solidarity as progressive organizations within the legal fraternity and sending best wishes to our team in The Hague,’’ Seehaam Samaai, a lawyer and director of the Women's Legal Centre, told state broadcaster SABC.

Samaai said she hopes South Africa wins its application, and the ICJ compels Israel to stop its military action in Gaza, which has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians and reduced the coastal territory to ruins.

She said the gathering from diverse groups shows South Africa is committed to the freedom of Palestine.

South Africa’s case, filed in December, argues that Israel violated the 1948 Genocide Convention. It filed an 84-page document with the court detailing acts it says amount to genocide in Gaza.

The court heard South Africa’s arguments on Thursday and will hear Israel’s response on Friday.

The event organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign was attended by lawyers, civil society groups, political parties and pro-Palestine supporters.

Members of the South African Jews for a Free Palestine group said they support the case, and wish to see peace in Palestine.

In the capital Pretoria, several ambassadors gathered to express solidarity with South Africa’s legal team at the Palestinian embassy.

Palestinian ambassador Hanan Jarrar said she was grateful to South Africa for standing with Palestine, and looks forward to seeing Israel brought to account by the UN court.

She described the case as a beacon of hope for her country, saying: ‘‘Injustice will not last forever, apartheid regime will not last forever, atrocities and colonization will not last forever."