Israel presents its defense against genocide on second day of ICJ hearings
■ Watch live: ICJ hears Israel's defence
Israel is presenting its response to South Africa's genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday, a day after Pretoria pleaded with judges to issue an interim order demanding Israel halt its offensive in the embattled territory. | Israel has rejected the accusations of genocide as baseless and has accused South Africa of acting as an emissary of the Hamas. South African lawyer Adila Hassim told judges at The Hague on Thursday that, 💬 "genocides are never declared in advance, but this court has the benefit of the past 13 weeks of evidence that shows incontrovertibly a pattern of conduct and related intention that justifies as a plausible claim of genocidal acts." "Israel deployed 6,000 bombs per week … No one is spared. Not even newborns. UN chiefs have described it as a graveyard for children," she said. "Nothing will stop the suffering except an order from this court." ● South Africa submitted its case against Israel at the ICJ last month and has said Israel's actions in Gaza are "genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group". Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, another South African lawyer at the hearing, said Pretoria was not alone in drawing attention to Israel's genocidal rhetoric. ● Ngcukaitobi said that at least 15 UN special rapporteurs and 21 members of the UN working groups have warned that what is happening in Gaza reflects a genocide in the making. He added that genocidal intent was evident in the way Israel's military was conducting attacks, including the targeting of family homes and civilian infrastructure.
■ Israel claims genocide case at UN top court is 'distorted' as it continues to bomb Gaza (Indian Express)
■ APPLICATION INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS (.pdf)(84 pages) Press Release (.pdf)