After Gambia took Myanmar to the International Court of Justice and successfully got the court to give orders for the United Nations and member countries to do everything to prevent genocide against them, South Africa has also taken a queue from the case to put a break to what it argued is a genocidal trend of the war being waged by Israel in Gaza.
Evidence of Israeli officials making remarks was presented by South Africa as revelations of genocidal intentions. It also gave evidence of indiscriminate bombing affecting hospitals, schools, food supply, water and deprivation of the basic necessities of life as evidence of such genocidal intentions.
On the other hand Israel presented an image of being threatened by a terrorist organisation that had already killed many of its citizens on October 7 and are now engaged in war as self defence. It claims that its judicial system is ready to handle any crime committed by any Israeli in Gaza.
Given the open pronouncements by officials of Israel that the war will not end until Hamas is crushed and further claims that Hamas is embedded among the civilian population it stands to reason that every attempt to crush Hamas would equally lead to the crushing of the civilian population and social infrastructure such schools, hospitals and sources of water and electricity.
Is it legitimate to eradicate all the people of a territory in the name of self defence? That is a question before Israel and the ICF. Foroyaa will follow the judgment and publish the relevant portions. It is hoped that countries like Gambia and South Africa bringing such cases will also educate their citizens to be examples in the defence of fundamental rights especially the right to life and security of person.
