The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague will hold its first hearing on Thursday in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, a move welcomed by many countries amid a global chorus for a ceasefire in Gaza. Al Jazeera has collected information about all the countries that have taken an active position.
ICC claim
South Africa filed the lawsuit in late December, accusing Israel of genocide during the Gaza war and calling for an end to the brutal military offensive that has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, nearly 10,000 of them children and 7,000 women. Bolivia previously submitted a request to the prosecutor, but it is directed against individuals and is not an urgent procedure.
South Africa’s 84-page statement said Israel violated the 1948 Genocide Convention, which was drawn up after World War II and the Holocaust. Earlier, Bolivia, along with South Africa, Bangladesh, the Comoros and Djibouti, submitted a request to International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan to investigate the situation in Palestine.
Khan said he received the request on November 30. But this request is directed against individuals and is not an urgent procedure. “If Israel is found guilty of committing genocide, the reaction of other countries will be completely different, and they will have the right to take measures to prevent genocide.”
🚨🇮🇱 The following countries have endorsed South Africa’s GENOCIDE CONVENTION LAWSUIT against ISRAEL at the International Court of Justice:
🇲🇾Malaysia
🇹🇷Turkey
🇧🇴Bolivia
🇳🇮Nicaragua
🇲🇻The Maldives
🇻🇪Venezuela
🇳🇦Namibia
🇯🇴Jordan
🇲🇦Morocco
🇮🇷Iran
🇧🇩Bangladesh
🇵🇰Pakistan
🇸🇦Saudi… pic.twitter.com/fMZLAF9vWf— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) January 10, 2024
Which countries have signed or support the petition?
The Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), a 57-member bloc, expressed its support for the cause on December 30.
Malaysia: In a statement released on January 2, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed South Africa’s announcement. It repeated its call for the creation of an independent Palestinian state “within pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
Türkiye: Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Onku Keceli posted a message on the X website on January 3, welcoming South Africa’s move.
Jordan: On 4 January, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Amman would support South Africa.
Bolivia: On Sunday, Bolivia’s Foreign Ministry called South Africa’s move historic and became the first Latin American country to back the case against Israel.
South Africa’s call was joined not only by countries, but also by many human rights organizations and civil society groups around the world. Among them are Terreiro Pindorama in Brazil, Asociacion Nacional de Amistad Italia-Cuba in Italy and Collectif Judeo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Palestine in France, reports independent media Common Dreams.
Which countries have previously submitted a request to the ICC?
Bolivia noted that it had previously submitted a request to International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan, along with South Africa, Bangladesh, Comoros and Djibouti, to investigate the situation in Palestine. Khan said he received the request on November 30.
The ICC and ICJ are sometimes confused with each other. Both ships are located in The Hague, in the Netherlands. While the purpose of the International Court of Justice is to resolve conflicts between states, the ICC prosecutes individuals for committing crimes, according to the University of Melbourne’s Pursuit platform. Although the ICC cannot bring cases against states, the prosecutor can open an investigation if crimes have been committed, including genocide.
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