Türkiye, Malaysia, OIC back SA’s Gaza genocide case against Israel

Türkiye is the latest country, after Malaysia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to give its support to South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, launched at the the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague.

In a significant development last week, South Africa filed an urgent case against Israel at the ICJ accusing the state of crimes of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Türkiye

In a statement issued by its foreign affairs department on Wednesday Türkiye said the killing of more than 22,000 Palestinians should not go unpunished.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Öncü Keçeli said the country welcomed the application filed by South Africa.

“Israel’s massacre of more than 22 000 Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the majority of whom were women and children, for nearly three months must not go unpunished and the perpetrators must be held accountable under international Law.

“We hope that the process will be completed as soon as possible. It is expected that within the framework of this application, the International Court of Justice will decide on provisional measures involving those to stop Israel’s attacks,” Keçeli said.

🇹🇷 supports the application of #SouthAfrica🇿🇦 to the ICJ against #Israel. Expect more countries to issue similar statements. https://t.co/9Lm1jCBrlG pic.twitter.com/myr7U8o1aZ

— Clayson Monyela (@ClaysonMonyela) January 3, 2024

ALSO READ: WATCH: ‘South Africa will win an order against Israel’ for genocide in Gaza – Expert

Malaysia

Malaysia has also welcomed the application by South Africa to institute proceedings against Israel.

Malaysia said, as a fellow state party to the United Nation’s genocide convention, it called on Israel to fulfil its obligations under international law and immediately end atrocities against Palestinians.

“The legal action against Israel before the ICJ is a timely and tangible step towards legal accountability for Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) at large

“As a fellow State Party to the Genocide Convention, Malaysia calls on Israel to fulfil its obligations under international law and to immediately end its atrocities against Israel.

BREAKING: Malaysia endorses South Africa’s application before the International Court of Justice against Israel for committing genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/l4CAQjnqTu

— sarah (@sahouraxo) January 2, 2024

OIC

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has also supported South Africa’s application against Israel.

“The OIC has affirmed that the indiscriminate targeting by Israel, the occupying power, of the civilian population and the thousands of Palestinians, mostly women and children, killed, injured, forcibly displaced, and denied basic necessities and humanitarian assistance and the destruction of houses, health, educational and religious institutions, in their totality constitute mass genocide.”

The OIC called upon the ICJ to respond expeditiously and take urgent measures to “stop this mass genocide being perpetrated by the Israeli Defense Forces.”

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has endorsed #SouthAfrica🇿🇦’s application at the ICJ against #Israel. The OIC has 57 member states. pic.twitter.com/jV3PlKgnKI

— Clayson Monyela (@ClaysonMonyela) January 3, 2024

ALSO READ: Israeli officials concerned about South Africa’s ICJ case

Hearing

The ICJ said South Africa’s application is set to be heard in the Hague next week Thursday and Friday next week.

“In its request, South Africa asks the Court to indicate provisional measures to “protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention” and “to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide,” the ICJ said.

Israel to contest

Israel confirmed it will appear before the ICJ to contest South Africa’s accusation that it is committing genocide against Palestinians in its war with Hamas, an Israeli government spokesman said

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused South Africa of “giving political and legal cover” to Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7.

“The state of Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice at The Hague to dispel South Africa’s absurd blood libel,” spokesman Eylon Levy told an online briefing.

“We assure South Africa’s leaders, history will judge you, and it will judge you without mercy,” Levy added.

SA will win

With just a week left before the case against Israel is heard, International law expert Francis Boyle said he believes South Africa will win an order against Israel in its case before the ICJ.

“Based on my careful review of all the documents so far submitted by the Republic of South Africa, I believe South Africa will win an order against Israel to cease and desist from committing all acts of genocide against the Palestinians.

“Then we will have an official determination by the International Court of Justice itself, the highest legal authority in the United Nations system, that genocide is going on and under Article 1 of the Genocide Convention. All contracting parties of the 153 states will then be obliged to “prevent” the genocide by Israel against the Palestinians,” Boyle said.

South Africa has filed a case at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. International law expert Francis Boyle, who has argued successfully at the ICJ, says he believes "South Africa will win an order against Israel." pic.twitter.com/4Ebz02vxVc

— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) January 2, 2024

SA legal team

South Africa’s legal team for its case to the ICJ includes: John Dugard, Max du Plessis Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, Adila Hassim, Sarah Pudifin-Jones, Lerato Zikalala and Tshidiso Ramogale among others.

The ICJ, sometimes known as the World Court, is the United Nations’ venue for resolving disputes between states.

The death toll in Gaza has soared to over 22,185 people, about two-thirds of them women and children, while 57,000 have been injured according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

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