South Africa has accused Israel of "intent to commit genocide" on the first day of hearings at the International Court of Justice regarding the lawsuit it filed against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. In his speech before the court, South Africa's Minister of Justice, Ronald Lamola, stated that "the oppression of the Palestinian people did not start after the Hamas attacks," adding that it has "continued for years." Lamola stated, "In the Gaza Strip, since at least 2004, Israel has continued to exercise control over the airspace, territorial waters, border crossings, water, electricity, and civil infrastructure."
The Minister of Justice emphasized, "South Africa has unequivocally condemned Hamas and other Palestinian groups targeting civilians and taking hostages on October 7, 2023." However, he continued, "No armed attack on a state's territory, no matter how severe... including attacks involving horrendous crimes, can provide any justification or defense for violating the Convention (Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide), whether it is a legal or moral issue." He added, "Israel's response to the October 7, 2023 attack has crossed that line and resulted in violations of the Convention."
South African Supreme Court lawyer Adila Hashem stated, "South Africa affirms that Israel has violated Article II of the Genocide Convention by committing acts that fall under the definition of genocide. The acts demonstrate a systematic pattern of behavior that allows the inference of genocide." Additionally, South African Supreme Court lawyer Tembika Ngcukaitobi noted that "Israel has the intent to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza... This is evident from how this military attack is being carried out.” He added, "Rooted in the belief that the enemy is not just Hamas, but is an integral part of the fabric of Palestinian life in Gaza."
Meanwhile, thousands of pro-Israel protesters held a march in the city center in freezing temperatures early Thursday, carrying Israeli and Dutch flags and signs featuring images of people held hostage by Hamas. There was a heavy police presence to separate the pro-Israel march from the pro-Palestinian demonstration.
