January 13, 2024
Public hearings in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel began on Thursday at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands on January 11, 2024
[Dursun Aydemir – Anadolu Agency]
Israeli writer for Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth, Nadav Eyal, has reported that South Africa submitted “a detailed, organised case full of facts and quotes against Israel” to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Eyal added in his article: “There is no point in denying this. It was a harsh day for the State of Israel in The Hague. One of the harshest days, diplomatically, since the outbreak of the war.”
He said: “There is no point in denying this either: in a certain sense, Israel has already lost in this situation, as soon as it began, even if Aharon Barak (Israel’s representative at the International Court of Justice) succeeds in convincing the rest of the judges not to issue a temporary order. The damage was done as soon as the international discussion and attention started, and as soon as the international media started discussing the question of whether Israel committed genocide in Gaza or not.”
On Friday, the ICJ resumed its sessions to try Israel on charges of committing acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip, based on a lawsuit filed by the state of South Africa and supported by dozens of countries, in a historical precedent.
READ: Germany rejects genocide charges brought against Israel by South Africa
During Friday’s session, the court heard the response by Israel, the occupying power, to the lawsuit filed against it by South Africa.
In the first session on Thursday, South Africa submitted a detailed 84-page file to the court in which it collected evidence, noting: “The acts in question include killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, and inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction.”
The lawsuit filed by South Africa before the ICJ against Israel received Arab and international support.
Since 7 October, the Israeli occupation has continued its genocidal aggression against the Gaza Strip, with US and European support, as its planes bomb hospitals, buildings, towers and homes of Palestinian civilians, destroying them over the heads of their residents.
The occupation has also prevented the entry of water, food, medicine and fuel, which led to the deaths of 23,469 martyrs and the wounding of 60,005, most of whom are women and children. It also caused the massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza and international organisations and bodies.
Israeli writer for Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth, Nadav Eyal, has reported that South Africa submitted “a detailed, organised case full of facts and quotes against Israel” to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Eyal added in his article: “There is no point in denying this. It was a harsh day for the State of Israel in The Hague. One of the harshest days, diplomatically, since the outbreak of the war.”
He said: “There is no point in denying this either: in a certain sense, Israel has already lost in this situation, as soon as it began, even if Aharon Barak (Israel’s representative at the International Court of Justice) succeeds in convincing the rest of the judges not to issue a temporary order. The damage was done as soon as the international discussion and attention started, and as soon as the international media started discussing the question of whether Israel committed genocide in Gaza or not.”
On Friday, the ICJ resumed its sessions to try Israel on charges of committing acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip, based on a lawsuit filed by the state of South Africa and supported by dozens of countries, in a historical precedent.
READ: Germany rejects genocide charges brought against Israel by South Africa
During Friday’s session, the court heard the response by Israel, the occupying power, to the lawsuit filed against it by South Africa.
In the first session on Thursday, South Africa submitted a detailed 84-page file to the court in which it collected evidence, noting: “The acts in question include killing Palestinians in Gaza, causing them serious bodily and mental harm, and inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction.”
The lawsuit filed by South Africa before the ICJ against Israel received Arab and international support.
Since 7 October, the Israeli occupation has continued its genocidal aggression against the Gaza Strip, with US and European support, as its planes bomb hospitals, buildings, towers and homes of Palestinian civilians, destroying them over the heads of their residents.
The occupation has also prevented the entry of water, food, medicine and fuel, which led to the deaths of 23,469 martyrs and the wounding of 60,005, most of whom are women and children. It also caused the massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza and international organisations and bodies.
'South Africans now see Israel as an apartheid state'
'What's been happening in Palestine, It's been happening for a very long time. I think maybe South Africans are like, 'this looks a bit familiar'.' As South Africa's proceedings enter their second day, where Israel put forward its rebuttal to charges of genocide in Gaza, MEMO speaks to pro-Palestine demonstrators outside the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands who express their hope that this trial will encourage other countries and peoples to come forward if they are experiencing something similar to Palestinians.
South Africa president: ‘I’ve never felt as proud as today’
January 13, 2024
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during a press conference at Luthuli House in Johannesburg on December 18, 2023
January 13, 2024
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during a press conference at Luthuli House in Johannesburg on December 18, 2023
[ROBERTA CIUCCIO/AFP via Getty Images]
South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, commented on his country’s genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), expressing: “I have never felt as proud as I felt today when our legal team was arguing our case in The Hague.”
In his speech before the Women’s League of his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, Ramaphosa said that his country’s goal in filing a lawsuit against Israel at the ICJ is to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Ramaphosa added: “When our lawyers were defending our case in The Hague, when I saw Ronald Lamola, a son of this land, presenting our case in court, I have never felt as proud as I do today.”
Regarding what his country might be subjected to because of the case, President Ramaphosa explained: “Some people say that the step we are taking is risky. We are a small country, and we have a small economy. They can attack us, but we will stand by our principles. As the father of our democracy taught us, we will not be truly free until the Palestinian people are free.”
The ICJ heard South Africa’s arguments on Thursday and Israel’s response on Friday.
On 29 December, South Africa submitted an 84-page lawsuit, presenting evidence of Israel – the occupying power – violating its obligations under the United Nations Charter and its involvement in committing acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
For the 100th day, the Israeli occupation continues its genocidal aggression against the Gaza Strip, with US and European support, as its planes bomb hospitals, buildings, towers and homes of Palestinian civilians, destroying them over the heads of their residents.
The occupation has also prevented the entry of water, food, medicine and fuel, which led to the deaths of 23,469 martyrs and the wounding of 60,005, most of whom are women and children. It also caused the massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza and international organisations and bodies.
READ: Israel failed to disprove genocide case before World Court: South Africa
South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, commented on his country’s genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), expressing: “I have never felt as proud as I felt today when our legal team was arguing our case in The Hague.”
In his speech before the Women’s League of his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, Ramaphosa said that his country’s goal in filing a lawsuit against Israel at the ICJ is to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Ramaphosa added: “When our lawyers were defending our case in The Hague, when I saw Ronald Lamola, a son of this land, presenting our case in court, I have never felt as proud as I do today.”
Regarding what his country might be subjected to because of the case, President Ramaphosa explained: “Some people say that the step we are taking is risky. We are a small country, and we have a small economy. They can attack us, but we will stand by our principles. As the father of our democracy taught us, we will not be truly free until the Palestinian people are free.”
The ICJ heard South Africa’s arguments on Thursday and Israel’s response on Friday.
On 29 December, South Africa submitted an 84-page lawsuit, presenting evidence of Israel – the occupying power – violating its obligations under the United Nations Charter and its involvement in committing acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
For the 100th day, the Israeli occupation continues its genocidal aggression against the Gaza Strip, with US and European support, as its planes bomb hospitals, buildings, towers and homes of Palestinian civilians, destroying them over the heads of their residents.
The occupation has also prevented the entry of water, food, medicine and fuel, which led to the deaths of 23,469 martyrs and the wounding of 60,005, most of whom are women and children. It also caused the massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza and international organisations and bodies.
READ: Israel failed to disprove genocide case before World Court: South Africa
Israeli ambassador Dana Erlich criticises ICJ lawyer Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh for ‘ignoring’ role of Hamas in war
Palestine’s Irish ambassador has now lost 12 of her family in war
'Entire multigenerational families will be obliterated' - Irish lawyer Blinne Ni Ghralaigh at The Hague
Niamh Horan
Palestine’s Irish ambassador has now lost 12 of her family in war
'Entire multigenerational families will be obliterated' - Irish lawyer Blinne Ni Ghralaigh at The Hague
Niamh Horan
Yesterday
Dana Erlich, Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, said she “categorically rejects” an application made by Irish lawyer Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh and a South African legal team in the genocide case being brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.
Speaking to the Sunday Independent this weekend, Ms Erlich said the application made by Ms Ní Ghrálaigh and the South African delegation at the ICJ is “inherently false and biased” and “completely ignores” the role and responsibilities of Hamas for the war.
The diplomat also claimed South Africa has “publicly and shamelessly aligned itself with Hamas” and says it is “embracing a proscribed terror organisation” which is “calling for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people across the globe”.
Last week, Ms Ní Ghrálaigh’s work as a top human rights barrister brought her to the ICJ, the UN’s highest court.
‘The fact that Ms Ní Ghrálaigh is from Ireland means a lot to me’
In a powerful address on Thursday, Ms Ní Ghrálaigh said the conflict in Gaza was the “first genocide in history” being broadcast in “real-time”.
Addressing the court in both English and French, which she studied at Cambridge University, she said her task was to convince the court of the urgent need for provisional measures to be imposed to protect the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.
In response to the application, Ms Erlich has described South Africa as “Hamas’s representatives in the court”.
She told the Sunday Independent that the South African team is “ignoring the fact that Hamas uses the civilian population in Gaza as human shields and operates from within hospitals, schools, UN shelters, mosques and churches, with the intention of endangering the lives of the residents of Gaza.”
She also welcomed statements from the Irish Government emphasising the role of Hamas in this war.
“As Taoiseach Varadkar stated, it is important to remember and understand the origin of the term genocide, and acknowledge the agenda of Hamas which openly declares its genocidal intents — as we’ve witnessed since October 7.”
Meanwhile, Palestine’s ambassador to Ireland, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, described the opening statement by Ms Ní Ghrálaigh as “a landmark speech”. She also said “the fact that Ms Ní Ghrálaigh is from Ireland means a lot to me”.
“She is Irish. She knows the meaning of colonisation, starvation, occupation and oppression.”
Reacting to the ICJ case, Dr Abdalmajid said: “The whole world has witnessed this genocide online — live. You cannot say it isn’t happening. We see it. You cannot hide it or lie about it.”
‘We need to be strong to stand up for our cause, but we have no time to grieve’
The diplomat also revealed her family suffered further losses in Gaza as recently as 10 days ago, and added that she has not been able to process their deaths.
“We have had more tragedies. We have now lost 12 family members. For a period of time it was very, very difficult. Maybe when this war is over — and I hope it will be soon — we will have time to deal with our grief. But now we are trying to freeze our feelings.
“To be able to stand up for our cause we need to be strong — but it is not easy. We don’t have time to grieve.”
Ms Ní Ghrálaigh was brought up by her Dublin-born mother and Mayo-born father in London but has often travelled back to Ireland.
She only began training as a lawyer after completing an undergraduate degree in languages, working in the interim for a think-tank to save for the cost of a conversion course.
She took up a position at a human rights firm in London but turned down the offer of a solicitor’s training contract to work as a legal observer on the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in Northern Ireland.
She then spent a further year in Derry working for a solicitor’s firm representing many of the Bloody Sunday families.
The ICJ hearing is the latest in a long line of high-profile cases for Ms Ní Ghrálaigh.
She has presented to the ICJ before, on behalf of Croatia in a 2015 case against Serbia alleging genocide in the early 1990s.
She has also worked for the ‘Hooded Men’, a group of men interned in Northern Ireland in 1971 who last year received an apology from the PSNI for their treatment.
Dana Erlich, Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, said she “categorically rejects” an application made by Irish lawyer Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh and a South African legal team in the genocide case being brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.
Speaking to the Sunday Independent this weekend, Ms Erlich said the application made by Ms Ní Ghrálaigh and the South African delegation at the ICJ is “inherently false and biased” and “completely ignores” the role and responsibilities of Hamas for the war.
The diplomat also claimed South Africa has “publicly and shamelessly aligned itself with Hamas” and says it is “embracing a proscribed terror organisation” which is “calling for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people across the globe”.
Last week, Ms Ní Ghrálaigh’s work as a top human rights barrister brought her to the ICJ, the UN’s highest court.
‘The fact that Ms Ní Ghrálaigh is from Ireland means a lot to me’
In a powerful address on Thursday, Ms Ní Ghrálaigh said the conflict in Gaza was the “first genocide in history” being broadcast in “real-time”.
Addressing the court in both English and French, which she studied at Cambridge University, she said her task was to convince the court of the urgent need for provisional measures to be imposed to protect the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.
In response to the application, Ms Erlich has described South Africa as “Hamas’s representatives in the court”.
She told the Sunday Independent that the South African team is “ignoring the fact that Hamas uses the civilian population in Gaza as human shields and operates from within hospitals, schools, UN shelters, mosques and churches, with the intention of endangering the lives of the residents of Gaza.”
She also welcomed statements from the Irish Government emphasising the role of Hamas in this war.
“As Taoiseach Varadkar stated, it is important to remember and understand the origin of the term genocide, and acknowledge the agenda of Hamas which openly declares its genocidal intents — as we’ve witnessed since October 7.”
Meanwhile, Palestine’s ambassador to Ireland, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, described the opening statement by Ms Ní Ghrálaigh as “a landmark speech”. She also said “the fact that Ms Ní Ghrálaigh is from Ireland means a lot to me”.
“She is Irish. She knows the meaning of colonisation, starvation, occupation and oppression.”
Reacting to the ICJ case, Dr Abdalmajid said: “The whole world has witnessed this genocide online — live. You cannot say it isn’t happening. We see it. You cannot hide it or lie about it.”
‘We need to be strong to stand up for our cause, but we have no time to grieve’
The diplomat also revealed her family suffered further losses in Gaza as recently as 10 days ago, and added that she has not been able to process their deaths.
“We have had more tragedies. We have now lost 12 family members. For a period of time it was very, very difficult. Maybe when this war is over — and I hope it will be soon — we will have time to deal with our grief. But now we are trying to freeze our feelings.
“To be able to stand up for our cause we need to be strong — but it is not easy. We don’t have time to grieve.”
Ms Ní Ghrálaigh was brought up by her Dublin-born mother and Mayo-born father in London but has often travelled back to Ireland.
She only began training as a lawyer after completing an undergraduate degree in languages, working in the interim for a think-tank to save for the cost of a conversion course.
She took up a position at a human rights firm in London but turned down the offer of a solicitor’s training contract to work as a legal observer on the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in Northern Ireland.
She then spent a further year in Derry working for a solicitor’s firm representing many of the Bloody Sunday families.
The ICJ hearing is the latest in a long line of high-profile cases for Ms Ní Ghrálaigh.
She has presented to the ICJ before, on behalf of Croatia in a 2015 case against Serbia alleging genocide in the early 1990s.
She has also worked for the ‘Hooded Men’, a group of men interned in Northern Ireland in 1971 who last year received an apology from the PSNI for their treatment.
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