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South Africa is Hamas’s legal arm, Israel says after World Court ruling
South Africa serves as the legal arm of the terrorist group Hamas, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat wrote on X Saturday after The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday said that it does not see the need for additional emergency measures to protect Palestinians’ rights following Israel’s Rafah offensive.
The court said the “perilous situation” in the Gaza Strip and Rafah particularly “demands immediate and effective implementation of the provisional measures” per its order on Jan. 26, and “does not demand the indication of additional provisional measures.”
“South Africa’s failed attempt to undermine Israel’s right to defend itself and its citizens from the Hamas terrorist organization provides further proof that its claims are baseless and unsubstantiated,” Haiat wrote.
“Through its actions, South Africa is serving as the legal arm of Hamas and is working to advance the interests of this terrorist organization.”The decision comes after South Africa asked the World Court to consider whether Israel’s plan to extend its offensive in Gaza into the city of Rafah requires additional emergency measures to protect Palestinians’ rights earlier this month.
A record 52 states will present arguments about the legal consequences of Israel’s ‘occupation’ of the Palestinian territories at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s highest legal body.
The ICJ’s six days of hearings starting on Monday come after the UN General Assembly asked the court in 2022 for an advisory or non-binding, opinion on the ‘occupation.’ While Israel has ignored such opinions in the past, it could add political pressure over its ongoing operation in Gaza, which the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza claimed has killed 28,775 people, mostly civilians.
It is part of a Palestinian push to get international law institutions such as the ICJ to examine Israel’s conduct which has become more urgent since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel and Israel’s military response in the Gaza Strip.
“Politically, this will help in achieving a two-state solution. We are using the platform of the largest judicial body to advance our cause,” Omar Awadallah, a senior official in the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, told journalists at a briefing before the hearings.
The second hearing
It is the second time the UN General Assembly has asked the ICJ, also known as the World Court, for an advisory opinion related to the Palestinian territory. In July 2004, the court found that Israel’s separation wall in the West Bank violated international law and should be dismantled, though it still stands to this day.
“The International Court of Justice is set for the first time to broadly consider the legal consequences of Israel’s nearly six-decades-long occupation and mistreatment of the Palestinian people,” said Clive Baldwin, senior legal adviser at Human Rights Watch.
“Governments that are presenting their arguments to the court should seize these landmark hearings to highlight the grave abuses Israeli authorities are committing against Palestinians, including the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution.”
The advisory opinion proceedings are separate from the genocide case that South Africa filed at the World Court against Israel for its alleged violations in Gaza of the 1948 Genocide Convention. In late January the ICJ in that case ordered Israel to do everything in its power to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.
The outcome of the advisory opinion would not be legally binding but would carry “great legal weight and moral authority,” according to the ICJ.
The precise question put to the court is to give an opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s “occupation, settlement and annexation … including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures.”
The general assembly also asked the 15-judge panel of the ICJ to advise on how those policies and practices “affect the legal status of the occupation” and what legal consequences arise for all countries and the United Nations from this status.
The court will hear over 50 states and three international organizations over six days of hearings including the United States, Russia, China and South Africa. While Israel has filed a written statement with the court, it has not asked to participate in the hearings. On Monday proceedings will start with submissions from the Palestinian authorities.
world news
‘When America’s weak, the axis strengthens’: Fmr. Mossad official says Hezbollah fears war
Oded Ilam, a former senior Mossad official, spoke recently with Arel Segal on his show on 103FM radio to discuss the implications of Biden’s failure in the recent presidential debate against Donald Trump and the possible escalation in the North.
Ilam began by saying, “The Americans, although I don’t think they are anti-Israeli, continue to misunderstand the situation we are in. Biden and his administration have their hearts in the right place. The famous ‘warning’ that Biden gave to the Iranians didn’t move them at all. They attacked Israel anyway, and the American response was that the administration issued condolences for Raisi’s death. The American administration repeatedly shows weakness, which is also reflected in the ongoing negotiations.”
“Every time Hamas does not accept a deal with Israel, we are forced to step back two more steps. It is hard for me to see a situation where Hamas allows us to write up another agreement that doesn’t include withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor,” Ilam noted. “I can assume that when America is weak, the axis strengthens. This confrontation is very significant. I saw Biden’s performance in Atlanta, where he was different than at the recent debate. He was excellent. The same team that advised him to go to the debate is exactly the same team that shapes America’s policy.”
Israel-Lebanon conflict parties aim to avoid war
Ilam further added that “the Israel-Lebanon situation is interesting. All four main players, the US, Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel, do not want war. The one who least wants war is Nasrallah, who entered the situation in a very difficult state, both economically and in terms of his legitimacy from within Lebanon itself.”
“All four players do not want war. Nasrallah is waiting for the moment when Sinwar signs an agreement. I think they are sending him messages to urge him to sign. Even if this does not happen, the chance of a full-scale war decreases in favor of a settlement. Is a settlement good for Israel based on the current situation? That is another question,” Ilam concluded.
Edited by Michal Kedosh for 103FM radio.
IDF forces began demolishing the house of Ahmed Duabsha, a terrorist from the village of Duma, according to Ynet reported on Tuesday night.
Duabsha had been responsible for the murder of Binyamin Achimair, a 14-year-old shepherd, in April.
The terrorist was arrested on April 12 by The IDF, Shin Bet, and Israel Police during an overnight operation.
Duabsha admitted during interrogation to assaulting the teenager, which resulted in his death.About Binyamin Achimair
Achimair had been missing for 24 hours before his body was discovered on April 13.
Achimair had left Gal farm in the Samaria region of the West Bank on the morning of April 12 to allow his sheep to graze, and after several hours, the herd returned without him.
After news of Achimair’s body being found, a few violent incidents – including setting cars on fire – happened in the village Duma, and one person was killed by settler gunfire according to Palestinian reports, Walla reported at the time.
YUVAL BARNEA contributed to this report.
Aircrafts carried out a targeted strike on Tuesday night on the Nur Shams camp, in the West Bank, eliminating a terror cell as they placed explosives, Israeli media reported. The IDF surrounded the squad and attacked it from the air while it was placing the devices.
Maariv, citing Palestinian reports, claimed that 5 people were killed in the strike. The report indicated that only one of the 5 killed were terrorists and that several others were wounded. The Palestinian Health Ministry placed the number of casualties at 4, according to Reuters.
The attack took place near an incident in Jenin in which 22-year-old Captain Alon Sacgiu was killed after his vehicle hit one of the explosive devices.
Uptick in attacks in the area over the last 3 days
This is the third attack in the last three days and, since the outbreak of the war, more than 50 attacks have been carried out in the area.
The Palestinian Health Ministry claimed that Israeli fire, following a military vehicle hitting an explosive device, resulted in the death of a woman and a child.
The ministry did not comment on the age of the child or whether those reportedly killed or wounded were engaged in attacks on the Israeli personnel operating in the area.
Sergeant-Major (Res.) Yehuda Geto, 22, was killed after hitting explosives.
The incident occurred during an operation to counter terrorism in the camp. According to the details of the initial investigation, a bomb exploded under a military vehicle where Geto, who served as a driver in the unit, and a commander were inside.
The IDF said that the military vehicle was in an area where there was no risk of explosives, therefore no searches were conducted for them, Israeli media reported.
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