South Africa has invoked the Genocide Convention against Israel over Gaza

[HeidiInTheBigCity]

The entire filing is 84 pages long and, frankly, took me several hours to read - it's well worth the effort, though, in that it is rather (painfully at times) clinical and devastating in equal measure: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20231228-app-01-00-en.pdf

Go, South Africa!

It might not male that much of a difference in the short term - but: to see the former victims of Apartheid take the lead on the world stage, and offer support (the way they - after multiple decades of campaigning and pressure ... it's not as though world leaders hated Apartheid South Africa "by default") is just ... a little spark of light within the darkness!

Yes, It is definitely shocking and lists the barbarity very clearly. South Africa has some excellent International Law and Human Rights Barristers (from our best chambers) working on this.

The fact that representatives for the Israeli Government continue to make statements about "voluntary" relocation of Gazans to other countries, means that they'll have evidence to add until the hearing on the 10th January. It's extremely stupid/arrogant of the Israeli Government. Luckily the ICJ is less easily influenced/lobbied than other bodies.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-minister-repeats-call-palestinians-leave-gaza-2023-12-31/

The Israeli government aren't even trying to pretend that they want the Palestinians anywhere near Israel any more. Normally I'd say actions speak louder than words but in this case the words speak for themselves.

I've never known an entity so blinded by either arrogance or incompetence.
You would have thought one of their friends by now has told the Israeli Government "Calm down with the genocide rhetoric, we know you want to do it, but could you Not be so loud!"

Here is an interview with Francis Boyle about the ICJ case.

Professor Boyle serves as counsel to Bosnia and Herzegovina and to the Provisional Government of the Palestinian Authority. He also represents two associations of citizens within Bosnia and was involved in developing the indictment against Slobodan Milosević for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Over his career, he has represented national and international bodies including the Blackfoot Nation (Canada), the Nation of Hawaii, and the Lakota Nation, as well as numerous individual death penalty and human rights cases. He has advised numerous international bodies in the areas of human rights, war crimes and genocide, nuclear policy, and bio-warfare. From 1991-92, he served as Legal Advisor to the Palestinian Delegation to the Middle East Peace Negotiations.

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They do!

But in his particular case, he has already said everything that he ever needed to say for people to know who he is!

This is Smotrich, self-described "fascist homophobe" - yes, his actual words, not mine! Go ahead and google it if you find this as hard to believe as I did when I first read it!

That is right, folks! Our government openly supports another government that contains not only a fascist homophobe but also a convicted terrorism suporter (that would be Ben-Gvir)! And a bunch of other government ministers whose genocidal rhetoric seems to be escalating by the hour!

Turkey backs SAs request
https://twitter.com/sahouraxo/status/1742593594513625232

@EasterIssland and Malaysia has too I believe

Malaysia's statement yesterday
Malaysia welcomes the application by South Africa instituting proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the violations by Israel of its obligations under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”) in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.The application by South Africa also includes a request for the Court to indicate provisional or short-term measures ordering Israel to stop its military campaign in Gaza in order to protect against further harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention, and to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.The legal action against Israel before ICJ is a timely and tangible step towards legal accountability for Israel's atrocities in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) at large. As a fellow State Party to the Genocide Convention, Malaysia calls on Israel to fulfil its obligations under international law and to immediately end its atrocities against Palestinians.Malaysia reiterates its call for a durable solution by granting the Palestinians their own independent and sovereign State, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Yeah I posted that one yesterday

Malaysia's not a surprise surely?

Not at all but I guess they could have kept it quiet as many other countries or endorse SAs request. Same as I’m not surprised by Turkey

ICJ to hold public hearings on South Africa's genocide case against Israel next week

The international court of justice will hold public hearings on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South Africa in its case against Israel over “genocidal” acts in Gaza next week.

In a press release on Wednesday, the ICJ said that it will hold public hearings at the Peace Palace in The Hague next Thursday and Friday.

The US said that it is “not seeing any acts that constitute genocide” in Gaza, referring to South Africa’s case against Israel in the international court of justice in which it accused Israel of “genocidal” acts across Gaza.

• *US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller

Thanks Efacsen, looks like they're being mindful of the ICJ case next week and part of their defence is we can't see it.

On another note remember Heidi and I were discussing Dershowitz representing Israel, he's just been named as an abuser (name unredacted) as part of the Epstein case file drop, so he's out.

https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/1742710386317476247?s=20

warning: mentions trafficking for abuse.

@BelleHathor do you know who will be representing instead?

Well said.

The US is absolutely right and I agree with them. No genocide and nothing to see here.

@Parkingt111 I have no idea I'm afraid. I'm keeping an eye on Lawyers on Social media and Israeli media, but apart from Dershowitz, no other names rumoured.

Oh well if the US said so it mustn't be true I mean they are not biased in any way....
The US has taken a completely different stance on this crisis for their own reasons and what they think holds no weight whatsoever in my opinion

Fair enough.

I definitely agree with the us and can't take anything that SA says seriously. I mean look at their history.

@floodlightonwhatisright of course there is a genocide happening in Palestine. Everyone can see it.

Out of interest, do you think there's a genocide happening in Israel?

No everybody does not see a genocide is going on in Gaza ! Eg Has the UK PM said this???

Yes a genocide was carried out in Israel on 7/10

Just out of interest have you read the very detailed submission by South Africa that's in the opening post? If so what do you disagree with?

Or is your conviction based on something else/some other source we could read?

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710 was a terrorist attack not a genocide or would you call 911 a genocide? Please let’s not misused words , it makes them powerless and an insult to those that are genocide victims in the history

The USA is trying to plead ignorance as a defence, as it is likely that the Biden administration has breached it's own rules on weapons exports:

"... assessed whether Israel has complied the Biden administration's February 2023 Conventional Arms Transfers (CAP) policy. That requires the State Department to determine arms are unlikely to be used to for genocide, crimes against humanity, breaches of the Geneva conventions or serious violations of international law.
Miller said the State Department had not made such a determination..."

https://www.reuters.com/world/israel-must-comply-with-laws-war-under-us-weapons-assistance-policy-2023-12-11/

And where is your evidence for this? Because the death toll in Palestine by far exceeds the death toll in Israel since 7/10.

@BelleHathor yes I agree to that. Biden might find himself into his own spot of trouble with his recent hasty arms approval that has been bypassing congress.
I don't doubt that If push comes to shove then Biden will just say he told Netanyahu not to do x y and z and he wasn't to know that he didn't listen.