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South Africa Thursday May 16, 2024 called upon the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to intervene and halt Israel’s offensive on Rafah, a southern Gaza city sheltering over a million Palestinians, as part of its broader case accusing Israel of genocide.
The hearings at the ICJ follow South Africa’s request last week for additional emergency measures to protect Rafah. South Africa also demanded that Israel permit unhindered access to Gaza for UN officials, humanitarian organizations, journalists, and investigators, highlighting that Israel has previously ignored and violated court orders.
“Israel’s military campaign has targeted tens of thousands of children and women, destroyed civilian infrastructure, and starved the population,” stated Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, an attorney for South Africa. He added, “From the onset, Israel’s intent was always to destroy Palestinian life and wipe them off the face of the earth. Rafah is the final stand.”
Adila Hassim, another lawyer representing South Africa, reinforced the urgency of their appeal: “Israel must be stopped. South Africa is before you again today to respectfully ask the court to invoke its powers to order a remedy that will stop Israel.”
Israel has refuted South Africa’s allegations of violating the 1949 Genocide Convention, calling the claims baseless. Israel is expected to respond formally on Friday, having previously highlighted efforts to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza as ordered by the ICJ.
South Africa’s attorney Max du Plessis criticized Israel’s declared safe zones as a “cruel distortion,” noting that many Palestinians are too starved to flee, and those who can leave are sometimes attacked by Israeli forces. “There is nothing humanitarian about these humanitarian zones,” he said. “Israel’s genocide of Palestinians continues through military attacks and man-made starvation.”
Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, commented on the short notice given for the hearings, suggesting it hindered adequate legal preparation and implying this was “a telling sign.”
The conflict, which began on October 7 with a Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in 253 hostages, has since led to nearly 35,000 deaths in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
The ICJ’s rulings and orders, while binding and without appeal, lack enforcement mechanisms. However, a ruling against a country can damage its international reputation and establish legal precedent. The hearings on May 16 and 17 are focused solely on issuing emergency measures to prevent the dispute from escalating further, with a final ruling on the case expected to take years.
Palestinian President Urges Arab League to Address Funding Crisis
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas highlighted a critical funding shortfall at the Arab League summit on Thursday, urging international and regional partners to fulfill their financial commitments to the Palestinian government.
“The expected financial support from our partners has not materialized, making it imperative to activate the Arab safety net to bolster the resilience of our people and enable the government to fulfill its duties,” Abbas stated.
The Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the occupied West Bank, has faced severe financial constraints due to a prolonged dispute with Israel over the transfer of tax revenues that Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinians. This situation has been exacerbated by a significant decline in international donor funding.
According to former Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, financial aid from international donors has plummeted from covering 30% of the PA’s $6 billion annual budget to merely around 1%. This drastic reduction has put immense pressure on the Palestinian government’s ability to provide essential services and support to its people.
The call for activating the Arab safety net aims to secure immediate financial assistance from Arab nations to help mitigate the economic crisis and ensure the continued operation of the Palestinian government in these challenging times.
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