Rania Abu Shamala
26 January 2024•Update: 26 January 2024
ISTANBUL
Responding to an interim International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on South Africa's genocide case against Israel on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed the "sacred commitment to continue to defend our country and defend our people."
“Israel's commitment to international law is unwavering. Equally unwavering is our sacred commitment to continue to defend our country and defend our people,” Netanyahu said in a televised address after the UN court ordered Israel to "take all measures within its power" to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, where it has killed more than 26,000 people and turned the territory to ruins.
"At least some of the acts and omissions alleged by South Africa to have been committed by Israel in Gaza appear to be capable of falling within the provisions of the (Genocide) Convention," the judges said.
The 1948 Genocide Convention defines genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group." Acts of genocide include killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of the group in whole or in part.
Netanyahu said Israel has an "inherent right to defend itself," adding that the "vile attempt to deny Israel this fundamental right is blatant discrimination against the Jewish state, and it was justly rejected."
He said the charge of genocide leveled against Israel is "false" and "outrageous," reiterating that “Israel will continue to defend itself against Hamas."
The prime minister said the war, which began after the Oct. 7 Hamas cross-border incursion, is against the group and not against Palestinian civilians.
"We will continue to facilitate humanitarian assistance, and to do our utmost to keep civilians out of harm's way, even as Hamas uses civilians as human shields," he said, adding: "We will continue to do what is necessary to defend our country and defend our people."
The Foreign Ministry said “Israel welcomes the Court’s clear demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages held in Gaza.”
“Israel remains committed, as it has repeatedly affirmed and demonstrated, to acting in accordance with its rights and obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law,” it added.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for his part, slammed the provisional order, saying Israel “does not need to be lectured on morality to distinguish between terrorists and civilian population in Gaza.”
“The International Court of Justice in The Hague went above and beyond, when it granted South Africa’s antisemitic request to discuss the claim of genocide in Gaza, and now refuses to reject the petition outright,” Gallant said in a statement.
