THE HAGUE – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) holds public hearings in the case South Africa v. Israel - Oral argument of South Africa
The UN’s top Court today (16 May) heard a new request from South Africa to issue more constraints on Israeli military action in the Gaza strip.
South Africa's Ambassador to the Netherlands Vusimuzi Madonsela, delivered the reading of the concluding submissions of South Africa.
He said, “As a matter of extreme urgency, South Africa as a State party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, respectfully request the Court to indicate the following provisional measures, the text of which has been amended to reflect the ever-increasing gravity of the situation.”
Ambassador Madonsela continued, “South Africa respectfully request the Court to order the State of Israel as a State party to the Genocide Convention, and as a party to these proceedings, to one - immediately and further to its obligations under the Court's previous orders of 26th January 2024 and 28th March 2024, cease its military operations in the Gaza Strip, including in Rafah government, and withdraw from the Rafah crossing and immediately, totally and unconditionally withdraw Israeli army from the entirety of the Gaza Strip.”
He added, “Two - immediately and further to its obligations under the provisional Measure four of the Court's 26th January 2024 order and provisional measures 2a and 2b of the Court's decision of March 2024. Take all effective measures to ensure and facilitate the unimpeded access to Gaza of United Nations and other officials engaged in the provision of humanitarian aid and assistance to the population of Gaza, as well as fact-finding missions, internationally mandated bodies and officials, investigators and journalists in order to access and record conditions on the ground in Gaza, and enable the effective preservation and detention of evidence, and ensure that its military does not act to prevent such access, provision, preservation or detention.”
“Three - Submit an open report to the Court: A - on all measures taken to give effect to these provisional measures within one week, as from the date of this order; and B - on all measures taken to give effect to all previous provisional measures indicated by the court within one month, as from the date of this order,” the South African Ambassador concluded.
Israel will respond on Friday at the Hague.
The hearing came after the request for the indication/modification of provisional measures submitted by South Africa last week.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, holds public hearings on the request for the indication of provisional measures and the modification of provisional measures previously prescribed by the Court submitted by South Africa on 10 May 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) on 16 and 17 May 2024, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court. Session held under the presidency of Judge Nawaf Salam, President of the Court.
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