It is interesting that nowhere in South Africa’s case against the genocide by Israel is there mention of World War II. The words ‘genocide’ and ‘crimes against humanity’ did not exist in legal-speak until Nazis invaded Europe and killed communists, Poles, Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, the disabled and the poor. These words came into the lexicon of judges at Nuremberg through the efforts of two men – Raphael Lemkin and Hersch Lauterpacht. Both men were from Lviv, then a town in Poland, now Ukraine, where some of the worst crimes were committed at the order of a Nazi Hans Frank, the governor-general of the region.
Now history has turned humanity on its head: the European victims of crimes against humanity became settlers on Palestinian land and perpetrated genocide. The phrase “From the river to the sea” does not refer to Israelis. It was the slogan of the Likud that won the elections in Israel in 1977. Introduced by the Prime Minister, Menachem Begin, he meant the extermination of Palestinians and the annihilation of their homelands.
Three months into the genocide, the matter has become before the International Court of Justice in The Hague afterr 30,000 people have been murdered by a fascist regime. Israeli settlers elected these fascists. The most high and mighty Western politicians in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and elsewhere, all have blood on their hands
Listen now to the public trial of the culprits while Israel continues with its brutal murderous assault on Gaza. Will this be just more ink on paper? Will the ICJ turn a blind eye to the genocide?
The ICJ is a court without power of enforcement. Its decision must be referred to the Security Council. It is here in the security council that United States vetoes a ceasefire in Gaza every time it is raised.
Will the UN fail in the same way other western institutions have failed the Palestinians?
While the International Court of Justice was hearing Israel’s rebuttal of the charge of genocide, Palestinians continue to be murdered by Israeli Forces in the occupied territories of Gaza and the West Bank.
Countries that support South Africa’s indictment: Cuba, Türkiye, Malaysia, Jordan, Bolivia, the Maldives, Namibia, Pakistan, Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil. Additionally, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Arab League have declared their support for the case. Germany says it support Israel in the Hague.
“Cuba expresses its strong support for South Africa’s lawsuit in the International Court of Justice against Israel for the crimes and genocidal acts committed against the Palestinian people” said the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel y Bermúdez.
Give the strong merits of the case, the Palestinian Ambassador, Izzat Abdulhadi, wrote to Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday 10 Jan 2024 calling for her to publicly support South Africa’s application to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking a preliminary ceasefire and investigation of potentially genocidal actions. Penny Wong and her government remain curiously silent. Not surprising given the Australian government’s reluctance to support calls for a ceasefire, thus enabling the genocide to continue.
Ian Curr
12 Jan 2024
The Indictment
Israeli leaders’ rhetoric and actions towards Gaza.
Israeli leaders and army vow to “wipe out” Gaza, invoking biblical destruction and siege.
Military action and targeting Hamas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu declares full-scale response to Gaza situation, vowing to eliminate Hamas and all supporters.
Israeli policies towards Gaza, including threats of violence and humanitarian aid.
Israeli ministers threaten violence and humanitarian aid cutoffs in Gaza.
Erasing Gaza and exterminating Palestinians.
Quotes from Israeli War Criminals