SA seeks urgent intervention to stop Israel attacks on Rafah
The Presidency has confirmed that South Africa has approached the ICJ seeking urgent intervention against Israel.
South Africa has made an urgent appeal to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to intervene after Israel launched attacks on Rafah in the south of Gaza.
This request, which was filed at the ICJ on Monday, comes after the Court granted an order at the end of January for Israel to take provisional measures to stop the killings in Gaza, the Daily Maverick reported.
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ISRAEL EXTENDS MILITARY OPERATIONS IN RAFAH
In a statement on Tuesday, Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said South Africa had made an urgent request to the ICJ to consider whether Israel’s decision to extend its military operations in Rafah required the Court use its power to prevent further breaches of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.
“It is gravely concerning that the unprecedented military offensive against Rafah, as announced by the State of Israel, has already led to and will result in further large-scale killing, harm and destruction,” said Magwenya.
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SEVERE BREACH OF GENOCIDE CONVENTION
He said this would be a severe and irreparable breach both of the Genocide Convention and of the Court’s order of 26 January 2024.
Magwenya said that under Article 75(1) of the Rules of the Court: “The Court may at any time decide to examine proprio motu whether the circumstances of the case require the indication of provisional measures which ought to be taken or complied with by any or all of the parties.”
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ISRAEL ORDERED TO REPORT PROVISIONAL MEASURES WITHIN A MONTH
South Africa filed an application at the ICJ on 29 December 2023, accusing Israel of genocide in its war on Gaza. While the court couldn’t definitely rule on whether Israel had been comitying genocide in Gaza, ICJ President Judge John Donoghue ordered Israel report provisional measures to the court within a month after the ruling.
While the Court stopped short of ordering a ceasefire, International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor said the effect of the order was equivalent to a ceasefire.