By Dilara Karatas
Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party, said Monday that the government should support the genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel.
In his speech in parliament, Corbyn drew attention to the suffering of Palestinians, who have been subjected to Israeli attacks since Oct. 7 last year.
"People are dying of starvation and thirst in the Gaza Strip. Cannot the government understand the anger around the world when they watch this happening in real-time?" he said, noting that thousands of children in Palestine have died due to a lack of medical care and food.
"And why so many people are very pleased that the government of South Africa has taken an initiative in going to the International Court of Justice in order to hold Israel to account for the deaths of so many wholly innocent people in Gaza. Cannot the government understand that and at least support South Africa's process?" he added.
On Dec. 29 last year South Africa filed a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice on the grounds that Israel violated the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide with the actions it has committed in Gaza since Oct. 7 and issued an interim injunction to be taken to stop Israel's attacks.
The application states that Israel's actions and omissions are genocidal in nature because they have been committed with the specific intent of destroying the Palestinians in Gaza.
The hearing of the genocide case is expected to be held on Jan. 11-12.
*Writing by Emre Basaran