(Nov. 13, 1974)
The vote of 91 to 22 was taken to uphold a ruling by the Assembly‘s President, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, suspending South African participation.
The United States unsuccessfully challenged the ruling, Which was also opposed by Britain, a number of Western Europeans and South Americans, and some others. Nineteen countries abstained.
(January 15, 2024)
The United States must now be held accountable for the crimes it committed,‘ says Van Rensburg, who is leading the 47-lawyers team.
“We intend to bring legal proceedings against the U.S. Government based on overwhelming evidence that the U.S. Government has, and is, aiding, abetting and supporting, encouraging or providing material assistance and means to Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces. This conduct by the U.S. Government has enabled and continues to enable Israel to engage in international crimes against the Palestinian people,” the South African lawyers said in a letter sent to US President Joe Biden on January 2.
THE HAGUE, 6 March 2024. South Africa today filed an urgent request with the Court for the indication of additional provisional measures and the modification of the Court’s Order of 26 January 2024 and decision of 16 February 2024 in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).
In its new request, South Africa states that it is “compelled to return to the Court in light of the new facts and changes in the situation in Gaza — particularly the situation of widespread starvation — brought about by the continuing egregious breaches of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide . . . by the State of Israel . . . and its ongoing manifest violations of the provisional measures indicated by this Court on 26 January 2024”. It requests the Court to indicate further provisional measures and/or to modify the provisional measures indicated it its Order of 26 January 2024, pursuant to Article 41 of the Statute of the Court and Article 75, paragraphs 1 and 3, and Article 76, paragraph 1, of the Rules of Court, respectively, “in order urgently to ensure the safety and security of 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, including over a million children”. It urges the Court to do so without holding a hearing, in light of the “extreme urgency of the situation”.
(07.03.2024)
Israel has strenuously denied the genocide allegation, and on Thursday its foreign ministry called on the court to reject South Africa’s latest request.
“South Africa continues to act as the legal arm of Hamas in an attempt to undermine Israel’s inherent right to defend itself and its citizens, and to release all of the hostages,” Lior Haiat, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, said on social media.
It was not immediately clear when the court would respond to the request.
In its report on 10 February, Euro-Med Monitor stressed that 15 days after the ICJ ordered Israel to take all possible measures to prevent the crime of genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army has maintained its rate of killing civilians, depriving them of their most basic human rights, besieging them, and starving them.
The human rights group reported that the Israeli army has killed over 1,864 Palestinians—including 690 children and 441 women—and injured over 2,933 more since the ICJ ruling, bringing the death toll of Israel’s genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, ongoing since 7 October 2023, to 35,880, including 13,880 children and 7,910 women.
Israel’s military has continued to bomb and destroy houses even after its military operations in the southern Gaza Strip were supposedly terminated a few weeks ago, stated the rights group. The Israeli army has blown up at least 43 residential squares since the ICJ ruling, with each square containing between 20 to 50 houses, mainly in the Strip’s southern area of Khan Yunis.
(search results)
9. In LaGrand, the Court exercised its Article 75(1) power in a situation of extreme urgency affecting one individual. Here there is a situation of extreme urgency affecting an estimated 1.4 million vulnerable Palestinians in Rafah, at least half of them children. They are at serious risk of irreparable harm to their right to be protected from acts of genocide contrary to Articles II and II of the Genocide
Convention, by a State which has already been found by this Court to be acting in plausible breach of its obligations under that Convention.
10. South Africa thus respectfully calls upon the Court to consider as a matter of the greatest urgency whether the developing circumstances in Rafah require that it exercise its power under Article 75(1) of the Rules of Court to prevent further imminent breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza. South Africa also reserves its own rights to take further action in respect of the situation.
11. I have the honour to assure the Court of my highest esteem and consideration.
South Africa said it asked the court to weigh whether Israel’s strikes on Rafah, and its intention to launch a ground offensive on the city where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought shelter, breaches both the U.N. Genocide Convention and preliminary orders handed down by the court last month in a case accusing Israel of genocide.
South Africa has made an urgent request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to consider whether Israel‘s decision to extend its military operations in Rafah requires that the court use its power to prevent further breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza, South Africa‘s presidency said on Tuesday.
(Nov. 13, 1974)
The vote of 91 to 22 was taken to uphold a ruling by the Assembly‘s President, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, suspending South African participation.
The United States unsuccessfully challenged the ruling, Which was also opposed by Britain, a number of Western Europeans and South Americans, and some others. Nineteen countries abstained.
This Palestinian paradox – military defeat and political victory – is not unusual in the history of liberation struggles. The Vietnamese Tet offensive of 1968 was a military failure, but it is widely agreed that it was a political turning point which left the US unable to rally support for the war as it had done before.
In South Africa’s long struggle against apartheid, at least two defeats, the Sharpeville massacre of 1960 and the Soweto uprising of 1976, so exposed the white nationalist regime that it never rebuilt the pre-existing levels of support that it had enjoyed.
None of these cases were final victories. Those took longer to achieve, and much more blood was spilt before liberation.
The Vietnamese lost three million souls compared to 55,000 US casualties before the war ended.
It’s likely to be a moment of high drama at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Peace Palace in The Hague on Friday afternoon when Judge Joan E Donoghue, the president of the court, announces the decision of the 17 judges on South Africa’s request to the court to issue provisional measures against Israel to stop its alleged genocide in Gaza.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor will be in the court as the head of a South African delegation and representatives of Israel and Palestine will surely be in the court too, and probably outside it.
Was sind die konkreten Vorwürfe Südafrikas an Israel, können Sie das einmal näher ausführen?
Zunächst muss ich auf die ungeheure Symbolkraft und emotionale Wucht dieses Verfahrens eingehen, das Menschen auf der ganzen Welt elektrisiert. Diese Wucht hat vor allem mit vier Dingen zu tun: Erstens drückt das Verfahren eine internationale Solidarität aus, die seit dem Kalten Krieg völlig in Vergessenheit geraten ist. In der dunkelsten Stunde der Not, um es einmal pathetisch auszudrücken, erscheint einer völlig am Boden liegenden und ‚von allen guten Geistern verlassenen‘ palästinensischen Nation ein ‚Retter‘, ein Licht am Ende des Tunnels – jemand, der ohne offensichtlichen Eigennutz plötzlich für palästinensische Rechte eintritt…
The Global Solidarity Day followed two days of public hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, in which South Africa asked the court to make a prima facie (on the face of it) finding that Israel may be committing genocide. Israel disputed the charges and claimed South Africa was siding with Hamas.
A statement read out by the organisers said: “We are here today to be part of the global day of action that will see demonstrations planned in more than 66 cities and at least 36 countries. Today’s rally will be part of a united front of global voices, calling unconditionally for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”
South Africa on Thursday presented its case against Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and asked the World Court to order Israel to stop its military operation. Watch the replay. Israel responds on Friday.
WATCH NOW:
Day 1 of SA v Israel on Genocide at World Court
The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Mr Ronald Lamola (MP) will lead South Africa’s delegation to Peace Palace (International Court of Justice) in the Hague.
The South African delegation comprises of South Africa’s distinguished diplomats and officials namely:
Director General in the Presidency Ms Phindile Baleni Director General of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation Mr Zane Dangor;
Director General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development Advocate Mashabane; (former Deputy Ambassador for South Africa to the United Nations); and
Special Advisor to the President of the Republic of South Africa Advocate Nokukhanya Jele.
The South African delegation will be joined by senior political figures from progressive political parties and movements across the globe which include amongst others Jeremy Corbyn the Former leader of the opposition in the United Kingdom.
These are words that any western leader allowing Israel to carry on with mass murder can ill afford to ignore.
The ICJ has agreed to hold a hearing next week to discuss South Africa’s request for an urgent ruling. No hearing at the World Court at the Hague is more pressing. The fate of that endangered species called international justice depends on it.
Newly released diplomatic cables reveal Israel desperate to get countries to publicly reject the case
INTRODUCTION
1. This Application concerns acts threatened, adopted, condoned, taken and being taken by the Government and military of the State of Israel against the Palestinian people, a distinct national, racial and ethnical group, in the wake of the attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023. South Africa unequivocally condemns all violations of international law by all parties, including the direct targeting of Israeli civilians and other nationals and hostage-taking by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. No armed attack on a State’s territory no matter how serious — even an attack involving atrocity crimes — can, however, provide any possible justification for, or defence to, breaches of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (‘Genocide Convention’ or ‘Convention’), whether as a matter of law or morality. The acts and omissions by Israel complained of by South Africa are genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group, that being the part of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip (‘Palestinians in Gaza’).
The collective West will forever stand disgraced and exposed due to its blind support of Israel’s genocidal slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza since Oct. 7.
What passes for governance in Washington, Berlin, Paris, London et al. has forced us all to bear witness to infanticide, high crimes and war crimes without end these past few months. Said crimes have been committed not in the name of self-defence but rather in the name of ethno-nationalism, settler-colonialism and white supremacy.
(31.12.2023)
Juniors: Sarah Pudifin-Jones, Lerato Zikalala, Tshidiso Ramogale
External: Vaughan Lowe KC
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC
(03.01.2023)
But we have yet to see any action from most of these states…..
(03.01.2024)
Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said in a statement that Ankara welcomes the South African case, which says Israel has violated its obligations under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
“Israel‘s murder of more than 22,000 Palestinian civilians, the majority of whom were women and children, in Gaza for nearly three months should not go unpunished in any way,“ Keceli said.
(02.01.2024)
Malaysia’s foreign ministry said the petition also included a request for the ICJ to indicate provisional or short-term measures ordering Israel to stop its military campaign in the besieged territory, and to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention.
“The legal action against Israel before the ICJ is a timely and tangible step towards legal accountability for Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory at large,” the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Organizational Signers:
– Black Alliance for Peace
– Popular Resistance, USA
– Palestinian Assembly for Liberation
– CODEPINK, USA
– Progressive International
– Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
– Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
– Women‘s International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section
– World Beyond War
– International Association of Democratic Lawyers
– National Lawyers Guild, USA
– US Boats to Gaza
– Gaza Freedom Flotilla
– Roots Action, USA
– Veterans for Peace, USA
– Project Enduring Peace, USA
– Women‘s International League for Peace and Freedom, Palestine Section
– PEN International-Palestine
– Peace, Justice, Sustainability, NOW!, USA
– Friends of Latin America, USA
– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center (CMMLK), Cuba
– Proceso de Comunidades Negras (PCN), Colombia
– Women‘s March Global – Region of the Americas
– Landless Workers Movement MST, Brazil
– Federation of Mexican Workers and Unions (Confederación de Trabajadores y Sindicatos de Mexico)
– Venezuelan Popular Feminist Movement (Plataforma de Feminismo Popular de Venezuela)
– Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAR), Western Hemisphere
– The Latin American and Caribbean Council on Popular Education (CEAAL)
– The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH
– Kenyans for Palestine
– Tatuy Tv, Venezuela
– Asociación Ecuatoriana de Amistad con el Pueblo Saharaui (AEAPS)
– Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos Segundo Montes Mozo S.J., Ecuador
– Comité Internacional Paz, Justicia y Dignidad a los Pueblos, Cuba/USA
– Euskadi, Cuba
– Comité de Solidaridad con la Causa Árabe, Spain
– Palestina Toma la Calle, España
– Coordinadora por la Paz, la Soberanía la Integración y la No Injerencia CPAZ Movimiento Social de DDHH, Ecuador
– Centro de Estudios e Investigación sobre Mujeres, Spain
– Fórum de Política Feminista, Spain
– Partido Comunista de los Trabajadores de Argentina
– Plataforma de Solidaridad con la Causa Palestina (Venezuela)
– Foro Itinerante de Participación Popular, Venezuela
– Asociación Gremial de Abogados y Abogadas de Argentina
– Convocatoria SEGUNDA INDEPENDENCIA de Argentina
– Agrupación ESPERANZA Revolucionaria y Socialista, Argentina
– Red de Intelectuales y Artistas en Defensa de la Humanidad- Capitulo Paraguay
– Conseil National des Comités Populaires (CNCP Martinique)
– Instituto Simón Bolívar para la Paz y la Solidaridad entre los Pueblos, Venezuela
– Plateforme Haitienne de Plaidoyer pour un Developpement Alternatif (PAPDA), Haiti
– Women Democratic Front, Pakistan
– Teaching Palestine: Pedagogical Praxis and the Indivisibility of Justice, Palestine/International
– Feminist Conversations Kenya (FCK)
– Syrian Center For Media and Freedom Of Expression
– SOLI (Red de Lucha Por la Paz y Solidaridad Internacional) Puerto Rico
– ALBA Movimientos, Latin America
– Asociación de Mujeres Campesinas y Populares AMUCAP-C, Paraguay
– Alianza Latinoamericana Por Palestina contra el Apartheid
– Liga Mexicana por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos, LIMEDDH
– Justice for All, USA
– Venezuelanalysis
– Diáspora Pa’lante Collective, Puerto Rico
– Coletivo Advogadas e Advogados pela Democracia (CAAD), Brazil
– Naco Nius México. M. N. N.
– ARCH Jerusalem (Geneva, Switzerland)
– PAL Commission on War Crimes, Justice, Reparations and Return
– Women Advancement for Economic and Leadership Empowerment in Africa (WAELE AFRICA)
– Geneva Council For International Affairs and Development
– Casa Tecmilco, México
– Surgentes, colectivo de DDHH (Venezuela)
– Izquierda Libertaria – Chile
– Amigos de la Tierra América Latina y el Caribe (ATALC)
– Scandinavian Institute for Human Rights/Haytham Manna Foundation
– French Observatory for Human Rights
– Union of Palestinian Organizations of Latin America (UPAL)
– Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS), Jordan
– Syrian Medical Committee
– Horan Rencontre por la Citoyennete, France
– International Institute for Peace, Justice and Human Rights – IIPJHR, Switzerland
– Fórum Latino Palestino, Brazil
– Syndicat National des Journalistes Tunisien (SNJT), Tunis
– Muslim Journal, USA
– Egyptian Revolutionary Socialists
– Ordre National des Avocats de Tunisie
– Kuagro Ri Changaina, Colombia
– Alkarama (Movimiento de Mujeres Palestinas), Spain
– Raíces (Grupo cultural raíces de Guasá), Ecuador
– Comisión Étnica para la Paz y la Defensa de los Derechos Territoriales, Colombia
– International People‘s Assembly
– Arab American Civic Council
– Movimiento de Pequeños Agricultores, MPA Brazil
– Federación Nacional de Cooperativas Agropecuarias (FENACOA), Colombia
– Asociación Colombiana de Economistas Negras – Mano Cambiada
– Sindicato Aeroespacial SP, Brazil
– The Literacy Project, USA
– Sindicato na Televisão, Brazil
– JUST (International Movement for a Just World), Malaysia
– MLN – Movement for Liberation from Nakba, Malaysia
– JUST-IS Interfaith Solidarity for Justice and against Militarism, Pakistan
– Center for the Study of Islam and Decoloniality, Pakistan
– Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
– New York Peace Council
– Law for Palestine
– Palestinian Feminist Collective
– CAGE International
– Vocesenlucha – Comunicación Popular, Spain/Latin America
– Asociación Alnakba, Venezuela
– Mujeres por la Paz
– Sodepau Pais Valencia
– Jubileo Sur/Américas
– Acción Ecológica, Ecuador
– Instituto de Estudios Ecologistas del Tercer Mundo
– Nación Andaluza
– Tunisian National Bar Association
– Palestine Ceasefire Dayton, USA
– Red de Ambientalistas Comunitarios de El Salvador RACDES
– Haqooq-e-Khalq Party, Pakistan
– Congreso de los Pueblos, Colombia
– Marcha Mundial de las Mujeres Macronorte, Perú
– La Vía Campesina
– Jornada Continental por la Democracia y contra el Neoliberalismo
– Geneva Centre for Democracy & Human Rights
– One Justice – France
– International Jurists Union – Geneva
– Global Legal Alliance for Palestine
– Southern Anti-Racism Network
– Mütter gegen den Krieg Berlin-Brandenburg
– PeaceWorks Brunswick Maine, USA
– Trident Ploughshares
– Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (UK)
– Trade Justice Alliance, USA
– Movimiento por un mundo sin guerras y sin violencia (MSGySV)
– Veterans For Peace, Ireland Chapter
– Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de los Pueblos
– Observatorio por el Cierre de la Escuela de las Américas en Chile
– Jordanian Federation of Independent Trade Unions
– Asociación Americana de Juristas
– Engineers Association – Jerusalem Center (Palestine)
– Medical Association – Jerusalem Center (Palestine)
– Palestinian Dental Association (Palestine)
– Pharmacists Association – Jerusalem Center (Palestine)
– Palestinian Nursery and Midwifery Association (Palestine)
– Agricultural Engineers Association – Jerusalem Center (Palestine)
– Palestinian Bar Association (Palestine)
– Palestinian Contractors Union (Palestine)
– Veterinarians Syndicate – Jerusalem Center (Palestine)
– Palestinian Union of Psychologists and Social Workers (Palestine)
– Sínodo luterano salvadoreño
– Green Mountain Solidarity With Palestine
– Sahel fondation
– The International Commission for Supporting the Rights of the Palestinian People “Hashd”
– Rockland for Palestine
– University Network for Human Rights
– Charlottetown Mutual Aid
– Rede Jubileu Sul Brasil
– Movimiento Estudiantil Cristiano de Cuba
– Colectivo Voces Ecológicas COVEC, Panamá
– National Network on Cuba, USA
– Public Intellectuals for Social and Spare Change, USA
– National Lawyers Guild – St. Louis Chapter
– North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, USA
– The Peace Pentagon / Oracle Institute, USA
– Our Revolution – North Dakota, USA
– Peace Action Montgomery, USA
– United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), USA
– All-African People‘s Revolutionary Party
– Friends of the Congo
– Socialist Action USA
– The Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
– Oil and Gas Action Network, USA
– Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights
– Mom vision prodeca foundation (MVPF), Senegal
– Pan-Afrikan Liberation Program, USA
– Suffolk University Students for Justice in Palestine, USA
– Black Radical Christians, USA
– Frente Antiimperialista Internacionalista, Spain
– Environmentalists Against War, USA
– Democratic Socialists of America – International Committee
– Georgia Human Rights Clinic, USA
– Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance (MIRA), USA
– Cooperation Jackson, USA
– National Jericho Movement, USA
– Asociación Interpueblos Estado Español
– Black Workers for Justice (BWFJ), USA
– American Muslims for Palestine-Richmond VA Chapter, USA
– Peace Action of San Mateo County, USA
– Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), USA
– Friendship Office of the Americas
– HUMANITAS: The Africana Ethical Society
– Sankara Farm, USA
– Workers World Party, USA
– International Action Center
– The Universal Ethician Church
– Middle East Justice and Peace Group of Central Pennsylvania, USA
– Healthcare Workers 4 Palestine
– Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition
– Doctors Against Genocide
– Seattle Anti-War Coalition
– Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice
– Ubuntu Freedom
– Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, New Zealand
– Jewish Voice for Peace — Mid-Hudson Valley, USA
– Just Peace Advocates/Mouvement Pour Une Paix Juste
– Jisoor
– Spokane Veterans For Peace #035
– Rumbo a Gaza-Freedom Flotilla Coalition
– Students for Justice in Palestine at UChicago, USA
– International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development (INHURED International), Nepal
– Egyptian foundation for advancement of the childhood conditions
– Arab Women Organization of Jordan
– Women Helping Women Network, Jordan
– Palestine Institute for National Security Research, Palestine
– London Ontario Activism, Canada
– Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development PWWSD, Palestine
– Palestinian Labor Struggle Union
– Tunisian General Labor Union UGTT
– Jerusalem Legal Aid Center
– Bahrain Human Rights Society
– The Civil Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law „ISTIQLAL“, Palestine
– Comité de Vigilance pour la Démocratie en Tunisie, Tunisia
– Inminds Human Rights Group, UK
– Resistance Kitchen, UK
– The Palestinian Federation of Women‘s Action Committee, Palestine
– Lebanese Council of Women
– Roots Society for Citizen Right, Jordan
– Damascus Center for Theoretical and Civil Rights, Syria
– Women’s Studies Centre, Palestine
– The Canadian Peoples‘ Union
– Solidarité Laïque/Méditerranée. Tunisie
– Al Baraem Association for Charitable Work, Lebanon
– Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East (Germany)
– Rencontres Marx, France
– Women‘s International League for Peace and Freedom – International
– The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession
– AlgeriaRevolt
– Algeria Solidarity Campaign
– Workers in the Informal Economy Network Uganda
– U.S. Peace Council
– Secure Scotland
– Peace People, Ireland
– Aufstehen, Germany
– Healthcare Workers 4 Palestine South Africa
– Movement for Freedom and Democracy in Palestine, Palestine
– Mother‘s School Society, Palestine
– Arab Commission for Human Rights
– Association of Women’s Action, Palestine
– HOPE (Health Over Profit for Everyone) in the Midwest, USA
– Bronx Anti War Coalition, USA
– Citizens International, Malaysia
– Jewish Network for Palestine (UK)
– SE London Friends Of Palestine, UK
– Voices for Justice in Palestine, USA
The letter was released days after South Africa filed its claim, asking the ICJ to declare that Israel has breached its obligations under the Genocide Convention, to which it is a party.
The death toll in Gaza has reached at least 22,313, with at least 57,296 people wounded and thousands feared dead under rubble.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — South Africa launches case at UN‘s top court accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
South Africa has begun proceedings at the International Court of Justice, alleging violations of the Genocide Convention in relation to Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the court said in a statement on Friday.
South Africa launched a case Friday in the UN’s International Court of Justice alleging “acts and omissions by Israel” in Gaza “are genocidal in character,” and asking the court to order Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza as the death toll reportedly exceeds 20,000.
South Africa asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday for an urgent order declaring that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the Genocide Convention in its ongoing crackdown against Hamas in Gaza.
Südafrika zerrt Israel vor den Weltgerichtshof
Südafrika reicht beim obersten Gerichtshof der Vereinten Nationen eine Klage ein, in der es Israel des Völkermords an den Palästinensern im Gazastreifen beschuldigt und das Gericht auffordert, die israelischen Angriffe einzustellen.
THE HAGUE, 29 December 2023. South Africa today filed an application instituting proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, concerning alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”) in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Application, “acts and omissions by Israel . . . are genocidal in character, as they are committed with the requisite specific intent . . . to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group” and that “the conduct of Israel — through its State organs, State agents, and other persons and entities acting on its instructions or under its direction, control or influence — in relation to Palestinians in Gaza, is in violation of its obligations under the Genocide Convention”.
(Nov. 13, 1974)
The vote of 91 to 22 was taken to uphold a ruling by the Assembly‘s President, Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, suspending South African participation.
The United States unsuccessfully challenged the ruling, Which was also opposed by Britain, a number of Western Europeans and South Americans, and some others. Nineteen countries abstained.
„Sixth, the deployment of a UN Rapid Deployment Force in Palestine, with a mandate to monitor the cessation of hostilities and protect civilians,” said Ramaphosa.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told Tuesday‘s talks that diplomats did not have sufficient time to draft a declaration.
Ntshavheni said the position of Israel’s ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, “is becoming very untenable”, after Cabinet noted his continued “disparaging remarks… about those who are opposing the atrocities and the genocide of the Israeli government”.
“This is despite the condemnation of the previous ambassadors of Israel to South Africa, who were clear that the acts of the Israeli government are a repeat of apartheid and no different to the apartheid antics,” she said.
South Africa’s government has recalled Monday its ambassador and diplomatic mission to Israel in condemnation of the bombardment of the Gaza Strip, calling it a “genocide.”
The government also threatened action against the Israeli ambassador to South Africa over his recent remarks on the African country’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war. No further details were given about the remarks.
BRICS chair president Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement at the closing of the Summit on Thursday morning at the Sandton Convention Centre.
“We have decided to invite the Argentine Republic, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of BRICS.
“The membership will take effect from 1 January 2024.
Seit 1975 hat Kuba die Kräfte der Regierung der Volksbewegung zur Befreiung Angolas (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola, MPLA) unter der Führung von Agostino Neto bei der Bewahrung der Unabhängigkeit entscheidend unterstützt. Rund 300.000 Kubaner nahmen an der Seite der Angolaner an diesem Kampf teil, 2.855 kamen bei Gefechten ums Leben, 204 weitere bei der Erfüllung ziviler Aufgaben.
Dieser findet vom 22. bis 24. August in Johannesburg unter dem Motto „Brics und Afrika: Partnerschaft für wechselseitig beschleunigtes Wachstum, nachhaltige Entwicklung und inklusiven Multilateralismus“ statt. Südafrika hat derzeit den Vorsitz des Bündnisses inne.
Parallel zum Gipfeltreffen der Staats-und Regierungschefs der Mitgliedsstaaten Brasilien, Russland, Indien, China und Südafrika werden der „Brics-Plus-Dialog“ und der „Brics-Africa-Outreach“ stattfinden. Diese Veranstaltungen beziehen Nationen aus dem Globalen Süden und dem afrikanischen Kontinent ein.
On Wednesday, Russia said it did not tell South Africa that arresting Putin on a warrant from the ICC would mean “war”.
South Africa is due to host a summit of Brics nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – next month. But the ICC has an arrest warrant out for Putin, accusing him of the war crime of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia. South Africa, as an ICC member, is obliged to arrest him should he appear in person at the summit.
One gets the impression that Karaganov believes that the West can be stopped by a local and demonstrative “use of nuclear weapons”. But there is no comprehension of the consequences. And it’s not just the military but also the geopolitical component that is at stake. All those who are neutral or sympathetic to Russia today will turn their backs. The West is very much in favor of such Russian behavior. So why does the author suggest doing what is in the West’s interest? (…)
The US and NATO are pumping equipment and ammunition into Europe. They are increasing their involvement in Ukraine. They desperately need a move by Russia to isolate it on the world stage.
And then, like an egg delivered on Easter Sunday, comes Sergey Karaganov’s article. Coincidence or part of a pattern?
Putin pointed out that the Russian side has never rejected negotiations with Ukraine. It was Ukraine that declared its unwillingness, which was cemented by Zelensky’s decree.
Putin also pointed out that the Ukrainian authorities have preliminarily signed the draft agreement with Moscow, prepared in March, 2022, in Istanbul; however, after Russian forces were withdrawn, Ukraine disregarded the document. The President presented the document, which includes 18 articles and appendixes, to the African leaders. The document included clauses on neutrality and guarantees of security.
„It also touches upon armed forces and other things. It was all written down – up to numbers of vehicles and personnel,“ Putin disclosed.
Ramaphosa went on to outline a proposal that has been agreed upon by the seven countries involved in the mission:
– Both leaders must listen to one another;
– The war must be settled through negotiations and diplomatic means;
– There must be a de-escalation of conflict on both sides;
– The sovereignty of countries in terms of the UN Charter and internationally recognised principles should be recognised;
– There needs to be a guarantee of security for all the countries involved. This issue has been raised by all sides;
– The movement of grains across the Black Sea must be opened up to remove blockages so that commodities can reach markets;
– humanitarian efforts must be set up for those affected by the war;
– Prisoners of war must be released and children returned to Ukraine;
– There must be reconstruction of the destruction caused by the war; and
– Further engagements should be held to encourage more dialogue through the Africa Peace Mission.