As 2023 concluded, South Africa filed a claim at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. Genocide, defined under the Genocide Convention of 1948, involves acts intended to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. However, accusing Israel of genocide lacks merit, as Israel’s actions aim to defend itself against a genocidal threat, not to destroy the Palestinian people.
The U.S. National Security Council rejected the claim, emphasizing its lack of basis in fact. Israeli leaders clarify that their goal is to eliminate Hamas, a recognized terrorist group openly committed to Israel’s destruction.
While civilian casualties are tragic, Hamas, through human shields and embedding in civilian areas, bears responsibility. The IDF takes measures to warn civilians before attacks, ensuring adherence to international humanitarian law principles.
South Africa’s accusation is viewed as lawfare influenced by the Iranian regime and Hamas, diminishing the gravity of actual genocides. The upcoming International Court of Justice hearing should focus on real perpetrators, primarily Hamas, rather than entertaining baseless claims against Israel.
Suuuuuuure they’re not.
This is one fringe legislator though, she doesn’t speak for Israel. I don’t find this persuasive evidence of Israel’s intent to do genocide.
I also haven’t seen the intelligence the US and Israel purport to have showing that some of these bombing targets are giant underground buildings. Hamas launched more rockets at Israel yesterday. They are obviously waving the fight and storing the munitions and manpower under ground, in tunnels, and those tunnels obviously run under people’s homes.
I could be willing to infer such genocidal intent if it were true that Israel telling people to go to a certain area and then bombing that area. I don’t know the layout of the tunnels along with the layout of the civilian living areas above them and local geography to form a good opinion as to whether or not such claims are true or disproportionate. The article says such attacks were reviewed by multiple civilian military leaders for such proportion before they are carried out. My two cents.