A picture taken from Rafah shows smoke billowing over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment on January 11, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. AFP
Al-Azhar affirmed in a statement on Thursday that South Africa's stance reflects the will of the free world and the living human conscience that rejects scenes of murder, destruction, innocent bloodshed, massacres, and atrocities committed by what it referred to as “the Zionist entity” against the innocent Palestinians.
The ICJ began its two days of hearings on 11 January in The Hague in response to an emergency request by South Africa in the form of an 84-page application accusing Israel of committing genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
South Africa argued that Israel committed these acts with “the intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.”
According to the statement, Al-Azhar expressed deep gratitude and appreciation for South Africa's legal committee to the ICJ, led by Counselor Ronald Lamola, the South African Minister of Justice.
“The committee's statements on Thursday before the court strongly express our sentiments and those of the free world in rejecting the horrific violations and monstrous crimes committed by the occupation against the isolated, innocent, and vulnerable people of Gaza,” the statement said.
Al-Azhar added that the statements of the South African legal team reaffirmed the clear and explicit violation of the Genocide Convention signed by the Zionist entity, thus demonstrating the entity's blatant and outright violation of the treaty's provisions and its founding principles.
Furthermore, Al-Azhar encouraged other countries to follow suit and expressed profound appreciation for all countries that supported South Africa's legal case.
“Al-Azhar calls on the world to mobilize efforts and participate in this crucial step. It urges nations to adopt strong and similar positions to halt the flow of innocent blood,” according to the statement.
The statement also emphasized the need to intensify international efforts and exert more pressure "on this rogue entity to compel it to cease its massacres and crimes in Gaza."
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