South Africa returns to ICJ over 'continuing annihilation of the Palestinian people'

By Beyza Binnur Donmez and Burak Bir

GENEVA / LONDON (AA) — A two-day hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague began on Thursday with remarks by the South African delegation, with the country underlining "willful breaches" by Israel against binding orders of the world court.

South Africa had requested the hearings to press for additional provisional measures against Israel, saying it was compelled to return to the top UN court due to the "continuing annihilation of the Palestinian people."

Underlining that Israel is escalating its attacks in Gaza, the country said during its hearing that Tel Aviv is "willfully breaching the binding orders of this court."

"Institutionalized impunity" has led Israel to engage in the ongoing "genocide," it warned, while adding: "South Africa is here because the Palestinian people are facing genocide in Gaza and your previous orders have not succeeded in protecting them against that."

"Whether because of a lack of clarity as to precisely what the orders require, or because Israel chooses to ignore them, they have not been effective," it added.

It said the right of self-defense "does not give a state a license to use unlimited violence," nor can it "ever justify genocide."

Recalling a 2004 ruling by the court, South Africa said "there is no right of self-defense by an occupying state against the territory that it occupies."

"The key point today is that Israel's declared aim of wiping Gaza from the map is about to be realized," it added.