South Africa has launched a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial body of the United Nations (UN), accusing the state of committing genocide in its military campaign in Gaza. Israel has rejected the charge, calling the case “baseless” and a “blood libel,” a reference to false accusations of murder and ritual sacrifice by Jews.
The Court has been urged to issue interim orders in the form of “provisional measures,” which include calling for an immediate ceasefire to end the war and Israel’s indiscriminate killing of Palestinians. Public hearings in this regard are set to take place at The Hague from January 11-12. Although the Court may issue a provisional ruling within weeks, a final verdict can only be pronounced after hearings on jurisdictional challenges and the merits of the application are concluded, which will likely take several years.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is already investigating possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both Hamas and Israel. While the ICC is mandated to prosecute only individuals, the ICJ adjudicates conflicts between states and determines “state responsibility” for crimes.
