Malaysia sees legal case against Israel by South Africa as 'tangible step' towards accountability

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Welcoming application moved against Israel at International Court of Justice (ICJ) by South Africa, Malaysia said Tuesday that it is a “tangible step” towards accountability.

“The legal action against Israel is a timely and tangible step towards legal accountability of Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory at large,” the Malaysian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

South Africa last week filed an application instituting proceedings against Israel before The Hague-based ICJ.

The application is about alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the ICJ.

“Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” the African country said.

It sought provisional measures, alleging that Israel violated the 1948 UN Genocide Convention with its actions in Gaza since Oct. 7.

Although Tel Aviv condemned South Africa over moving the application, Israel Tuesday decided to appear before the ICJ to “defend” itself against the genocide crime case.

Reiterating its support for an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, Malaysia called on Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law and immediately end its atrocities against Palestinians.

The Southeast Asian nation has seen massive outpour of support for Palestine, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in lead, who last month banned any port call or docking by Israeli-flagged ship in Malaysia.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the world’s second-largest multi-national bloc, last Saturday welcomed the suit filed by South Africa against Israel.

It called on the ICJ “to respond expeditiously and take urgent measures to stop this mass genocide being perpetrated by the Israeli defense forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 22,185 Palestinians and injuring around 58,000 others, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities.

Israeli attacks have left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines.