Israel responded to South Africa’s new demands before the International Court of Justice. Pretoria accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention and has asked judges to issue new emergency measures. On January 26, the Court ordered Israel several measures, including the passage of humanitarian aid. Monday, faced with the situation in Rafah and the threat of a military operation, with more than a million displaced people piling up in the south of the enclave, South Africa asked the judges to take further measures. Israel responded.
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From our correspondent in The Hague, Stephanie Maupas
“ Morally repugnant », Israel responds on three pages. A response whose tone is not usual before this Court ofUN.
The Jewish State affirms, without reservation, that it respects international law and ensures that it “ demonstrated in words and deeds “. This is what we can read in the response submitted by Israel to the Court.
Two weeks after the judges’ first order, Pretoria alerted the situation in Rafah. But the military offensive denounced bySouth Africa on the south of the enclave has not taken place, says Israel, which sees in this new request the cynical attempt to use the Court as ” a sword rather than a shield “.
What South Africa wants is for the Court to manage the conduct of hostilities, write Israel’s lawyers, who affirm that Hamas battalions remain the target of operations in Rafah.
The judges should rule quickly. In their first order of January 26, they ordered Israel to submit a report on the implementation of the ordered measures. This report must be submitted to the judges on February 26. The judges could then modify the measures already decided.
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