Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called South Africa's move to sue the country at the International Court of Justice for genocide "hypocrisy and lies".
"We are fighting Hamas and the lies. Today we have seen a world turned upside down. Israel is accused of genocide while fighting for the survival of its people and against genocide," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a press conference in Tel Aviv on January 11.
Netanyahu’s comments came on the same day the International Court of Justice (ICJ) opened a hearing on South Africa’s case against Israel for breaching its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. During the hearing, South African lawyers accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, destroying their lives and pushing them to the brink of starvation.
According to Mr. Netanyahu, the "hypocrisy of South Africa reaches the heavens". "We will continue to fight Hamas, fight to eliminate the lies, maintain the right to self-defense and ensure our own future until we achieve complete victory", the Israeli Prime Minister emphasized.
South African officials have not commented on the information.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference in Tel Aviv in October 2023. Photo: Reuters
Israel's Foreign Ministry earlier accused South Africa of "acting as a legal arm of Hamas" in a lawsuit based on "false and baseless claims". Israeli President Isaac Herzog said "nothing could be worse and more absurd" than South Africa's lawsuit, criticizing Pretoria for "hypocrisy".
Israeli representatives will present their arguments before the ICJ on January 12. Israel has repeatedly denied the genocide accusations, saying it has made “every effort” to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza. The White House has also said that the accusations of genocide by Israel are baseless.
More than three months of Israeli bombardment of Gaza has left much of the coastal strip in ruins, killed more than 23,000 people and displaced nearly all of the 2.3 million Palestinians there. Israel's blockade has severely restricted supplies of food, fuel and medicine, causing a humanitarian disaster.
The US supports Israel's military campaign, but calls on its allies to reduce the scale of hostilities, do more to protect civilians, and continue to express hope for an independent Palestinian state in the future.
The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group".
ICJ rulings are binding and cannot be appealed. However, countries do not always comply, as the body has no means of ensuring enforcement. Nevertheless, an adverse ruling against Israel would certainly increase political pressure on the country and could even serve as a pretext for international sanctions.
Huyen Le (According to Reuters, Anadolu Agency, Times of Israel )
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