Arab League backs South Africa legal case against Israel genocide

Ahram Online , Wednesday 10 Jan 2024

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit expressed on Wednesday unwavering support for South Africa's lawsuit against Israel filed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, which will kick off its hearings on Thursday.

Arab League foreign
File Photo: Arab League foreign ministers meet during an annual meeting in Cairo. AFP

 

The lawsuit accuses Israel of committing genocide and violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.

"I extend my gratitude to South Africa and its government for taking this principled stance, placing ethics and human values above all considerations. The General Secretariat of the Arab League affirms its full support for South Africa's endeavor through all available means," Aboul-Gheit said in a statement.

In a post on X, Aboul-Gheit said: "It's natural and logical for the Arab League to fully support South Africa's lawsuit against Israel before the International Court of Justice on charges of committing genocide. We look forward to a just and bold ruling that will stop this aggressive war and put an end to the shedding of Palestinian blood."

He added in his post, "We would have liked the League to be able to join the call, but as an organization, it is not among the parties authorized to do so."

Aboul-Gheit has directed the Arab League’s General Secretariat to closely monitor the legal proceedings of the case, according to Gamal Roushdy, the league’s spokesman.

The General Secretariat is prepared to offer any necessary support to serve the Palestinian cause and bolster the Palestinians’ position, he said in a statement.

The ICJ will begin two days of hearings on 11 and 12 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.

In its detailed application to the ICJ, South Africa argued that Israel’s actions are “genocidal in character” as they are committed with “the requisite intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a part of the broader national, racial and ethnical group.”

The hearings will begin at 10:00am and continue for two hours each day. South Africa’s legal team will make its oral arguments on 11 January, followed the next day by Israel’s.

The hearings are open to the public, diplomats, and the press and will be transmitted live in English and French, including on the court’s Website and on UN Web TV.

In its latest update of Palestinian casualties, The Palestinian health ministry said at least 23,357 people have been killed in the Israeli aggression on Gaza since 7 October.

Israel has blocked the entry of fuel, water, and all essential means of sustenance for the enclave’s 2.2 million inhabitants, including medical supplies, equipment, and medication. Almost 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced to overcrowded shelters lacking basic services as infectious diseases continue to unfold.

The entire population is now at risk of famine, according to the UN.

Short link: