Israel's ICJ defense 'not compelling', South African delegation says

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

THE HAGUE (AA) – Israel’s defense at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) was “not compelling”, Zane Dangor, a high-level South African delegate, said following the second day of the “genocide” case.

The director general from the Ministry of International Relations, who was part of the South African delegation in The Hague during the 2-day hearings, told Anadolu that Israel’s defense at the court “didn't refer to any of the issues that we put forward to the Court yesterday.”

Dangor said South Africa’s arguments on Thursday were not addressed by Israel and their argument that the “statements from senior leaders, including (Israeli) prime minister's (were) mere rhetoric, and it's part of freedom of speech; in the context of a systemic violence, is something that we find astonishing.”

“So we don't think that they made a case that could debunk what we have said and we trust the judges will make the right decision as soon as possible,” he added.

Dangor also said on the provisional measures they have asked the judges to rule to stop the bloodshed in Gaza should be decided urgently and judges told them the decision will be made “as soon as possible.”

“So hopefully, it will be quite soon given the urgency that it will indicate that we think the matter is, we think that the provisional measures and the access to military aid and at least the handling of the killing … and injury in the context of the hospitals have been degraded is very urgent,” he added.

Also speaking to Anadolu, Justice Ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said “what we heard from Israel today does not disprove the fact that we've placed before the court.”

“All of the interventions that they've outlined were post that the application by South Africa to this court,” he added.

Phiri also said that Israeli legal team’s rhetoric did not “disprove the facts that we've laid out before the court."

“Quite frankly, (Israel) has not put a compelling case to make that,"he said.

Phiri also said on the provisional measures that “we think that the court will act in accordance with the urgency that the matter requires.”

The South African legal team supported their 84-page long evidence into Israel’s “genocidal” action in Gaza with numerous video files and photographs collected since the Oct. 7 Hamas offensive on the first day of the hearing on Thursday.

- Israeli violations under 1948 Genocide Convention

The document filed by South Africa institutes proceedings against the Israeli state before the ICJ, “concerning alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” (the 1948 Genocide Convention) “in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

- ‘Protect’ Palestinians against further harm

South Africa, with the lawsuit, also requested the ICJ 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.”

The Hague-based ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the UN, established in 1945. It is composed of 15 judges who are elected for a 9-year term by the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council.

The Court has a role to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized UN organs and agencies of the system.

- 23,700 killed in 3 months

Israel has been criticized by the international community for indiscriminate attacks in Gaza Strip and its military actions amounting to collective punishment.

It has launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, killing more than 23,700 Palestinians and injuring many more. About 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the initial Hamas attack. Among the dead there are at least 10,000 children and 7,000 women, according to Palestinian officials.