Palestinian PM welcomes South Africa's efforts to prosecute Israel for genocide

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh welcomed on Monday South Africa's efforts to prosecute Israel at the International Court of Justice on charges of committing genocide during its ongoing war in Gaza.

South Africa has requested the International Court of Justice to issue an urgent order declaring that Israel is violating its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention in its war against the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza. Israel denies the allegations and stated it will appear before the court in The Hague to refute them.

For decades, South Africa has supported the establishment of a Palestinian state on the territories occupied by Israel. The Palestinian issue has also been likened to the case of the black majority in South Africa during the apartheid era, a comparison strongly opposed by Israel.

During the weekly government meeting in Ramallah, Shtayyeh stated, "On Thursday, Israel will stand in front of the International Court of Justice accused of committing massacres with the aim of genocide against our people."

He added, "On Thursday, the flag of South Africa will be raised in the heart of Palestine, that country that will tell the International Court of Justice and the world that Israel is a criminal state committing crimes against the Palestinians."

The International Court of Justice, a United Nations-affiliated court, is responsible for resolving disputes between countries. The court is scheduled to hold a session on Thursday to consider the urgent lawsuit filed by South Africa to halt the Israeli war on Gaza.

Shtayyeh said, "If what is happening in Gaza is not a genocide, then what is? 22,000 martyrs, 60,000 wounded, and 1.5 million displaced in three months. Is not cutting off water and electricity and preventing medicine to kill a genocide? Is not displacement, killing, and ethnic cleansing a genocide?"

He added, "The International Court of Justice on Thursday will not address files in the past, but crimes happening today in the view and hearing of the entire world, including the fifteen judges of the court whom we hope will stand with truth and justice, not with political pressures."

He continued, "On behalf of the Cabinet, I wish the legal team success and hope that the court rules for an immediate cessation of the war and aggression and that the proceedings to prosecute Israel continue in all international courts."

Reuters