Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, on July 2, 2023. (Photo by RONEN ZVULUN / POOL / AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has effectively slammed the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling that Israel’s actions in Gaza are plausibly genocidal.
In a hearing in The Hague on Friday, the 17-strong panel of judges ruled that Israel should take steps to “prevent and punish” incitement to genocide, as well as to ensure the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.
However, the court stopped short of granting South Africa’s request that Israel should “immediately suspend” its military operations in Gaza.
“The court is acutely aware of the extent of the human tragedy that is unfolding in the region and is deeply concerned about the continuing loss of life,” Joan Donoghue, the court’s president, said.
Netanyahu said Israel’s “commitment to international law is unwavering.”
“Equally unwavering is our sacred commitment to continue to defend our country and defend our people. Like every country, Israel has an inherent right to defend itself. The vile attempt to deny Israel this fundamental right is blatant discrimination against the Jewish state, and it was justly rejected.”
‘The charge of genocide leveled against Israel is not only false, it’s outrageous, and decent people everywhere should reject it. Israel will continue to defend itself against Hamas, a genocidal terror organisation,” Netanyahu said.
ALSO READ: Pandor warns Israel’s allies may have to answer if Genocide in Gaza is proven
Meanwhile, the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) also reacted to the ICJ ruling.
“Today’s interim ruling by the ICJ is a blow to South Africa’s political gambit to falsely label Israel’s acts of self-defence as genocide. The court only looked at potential emergency measures and Pretoria’s political stunt will be shown for the farce that it is.”
“Israel has a legal right to self-defence and a moral obligation to protect its citizens from ongoing genocidal threats of Hamas. For the good of all South Africans, we will continue to oppose the ANC Government’s attempt to open a legal front against Israel at the ICJ, it said.
The Peace Palace during its ruling, also ordered Israel to report back to the court within one month on how it is implementing the court’s order to avoid genocidal acts in Gaza.
Moments after the historic ICJ ruling, SA’s International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor warned that a dangerous precedent could be set if Israel does not abide by the ICJ’s ruling to prevent genocidal attacks in Gaza.
Pandor suggested that if the court finds Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, countries who provided it with support and weapons would also have to answer.
“The fact that the court has said ‘remember, today we are not deciding about the allegation of genocide. What we are dealing with is the provisional measures’. The court is saying circumstances exist where it is plausible that genocidal acts have been committed.
“This of course means once the merit case is addressed, and if the finding is that there has been genocide, those states that have aided and abetted become a party to commission of an infringement, in terms of the [genocide] convention”.
Pandor said it was up to Israel to decide on its next course of action.
ALSO READ: ICJ sides with SA, tells Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza
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