South Africa says more than 50 countries have expressed support for accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in
Others, including , have strongly rejected South Africa害羞草研究所檚 allegation that Israel is violating the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Many more have remained silent.
The world害羞草研究所檚 reaction to the landmark case that was heard Thursday and Friday at the International Court of Justice in The Hague shows a predictable global split when it comes to the inextricable, 75-year-old problem of Israel and the Palestinians. Sunday marks 100 days of
The majority of countries backing South Africa害羞草研究所檚 case are from the Arab world and Africa. In Europe, only the Muslim nation of Turkey has publicly stated its support.
No Western country has declared support for South Africa害羞草研究所檚 allegations against Israel. The U.S., a close Israel ally, has rejected them as unfounded, the U.K. has called them unjustified, and Germany said it 害羞草研究所渆xplicitly rejects害羞草研究所� them.
China and Russia have said little about one of the most momentous cases to come before an international court. The European Union also hasn害羞草研究所檛 commented.
US: 害羞草研究所楳ERITLESS害羞草研究所� ALLEGATIONS
U.S. Secretary of State said on a visit to Israel a day before the court proceedings began that South Africa害羞草研究所檚 allegations are 害羞草研究所渕eritless害羞草研究所� and that the case 害羞草研究所渄istracts the world害羞草研究所� from efforts to find a lasting solution to the conflict. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said genocide is 害羞草研究所渘ot a word that ought to be thrown around lightly, and we certainly don害羞草研究所檛 believe that it applies here.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 agree with what the South Africans are doing,害羞草研究所� U.K. Foreign Minister David Cameron said of the case.
Israel fiercely rejects the allegations of genocide and says it is . It says the offensive is aimed at eradicating the leaders of Hamas, the militant group that runs the territory and provoked the conflict by on southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and
Blinken said a genocide case against Israel was 害羞草研究所減articularly galling害羞草研究所� given that Hamas and other groups 害羞草研究所渃ontinue to openly call for and the mass murder of Jews.害羞草研究所�
The U.S., the U.K., the EU and others classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
in Gaza has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza害羞草研究所檚 Health Ministry. The count doesn害羞草研究所檛 distinguish between combatants and civilians. It says more than two-thirds of the dead are women and children. Much of northern Gaza has become with entire neighborhoods erased by Israeli air strikes and tank fire.
South Africa has also condemned Hamas害羞草研究所� Oct. 7 attack but argues that it did not justify Israel害羞草研究所檚 response.
GERMAN SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
Germany害羞草研究所檚 announcement of support for Israel on Friday, the day the hearings closed, has symbolic significance given its history of , when the Nazis killed 6 million Jews in Europe. Israel was created after World War II as a haven for Jews in the shadow of those atrocities.
害羞草研究所淚srael has been defending itself,害羞草研究所� German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said. His statement also invoked the Holocaust, which in large part spurred the creation of the U.N. Genocide Convention in 1948.
害羞草研究所淚n view of Germany害羞草研究所檚 history 害羞草研究所� the Federal Government sees itself as particularly committed to the Convention against Genocide,害羞草研究所� he said. He called the allegations against Israel 害羞草研究所渃ompletely unfounded.害羞草研究所�
Germany said it intends to intervene in the case on Israel害羞草研究所檚 behalf.
The EU has only said that countries have a right to bring cases to the U.N. court. Most of its member states have refrained from taking a position.
Turkey, which is in the process of joining the EU, was a lone voice in the region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country provided documents that were being used against Israel in the case.
害羞草研究所淲ith these documents, Israel will be condemned,害羞草研究所� he said.
ARAB CONDEMNATION
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation was one of the first blocs to publicly back the case late last month. It said there was 害羞草研究所渕ass genocide being perpetrated by the Israeli defense forces害羞草研究所� and accused Israel of 害羞草研究所渋ndiscriminate targeting害羞草研究所� of
The OIC is a bloc of 57 countries that includes Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt. Its headquarters are in Saudi Arabia. The Cairo-based Arab League, whose 22 member countries are almost all part of the OIC, also backed South Africa害羞草研究所檚 case.
South Africa drew some support from outside the Arab world. Namibia and Pakistan agreed with the case at a U.N. General Assembly session this week. Malaysia also expressed support.
害羞草研究所淣o peace-loving human being can ignore the carnage waged against Palestinians in Gaza,害羞草研究所� Namibian President Hage Geingob was quoted as saying in the southern African nation害羞草研究所檚 The Namibian newspaper.
Malaysia害羞草研究所檚 Foreign Ministry demanded 害羞草研究所渓egal accountability for Israel害羞草研究所檚 atrocities in Gaza.害羞草研究所�
CHINA AND RUSSIA: SILENCE
China, 害羞草研究所� which is also facing allegations of genocide in the world court 害羞草研究所� and the emerging power of have largely remained silent, seemingly aware that taking a stand in such an inflammatory case has little upside and could irreversibly upset their relationships in the region.
India害羞草研究所檚 foreign policy has historically supported the Palestinian cause, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first global leaders to express and call the Hamas attack terrorism.
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE
A handful of South American countries have spoken up, including the continent害羞草研究所檚 biggest economy, Brazil, whose Foreign Ministry said President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva backed South Africa害羞草研究所檚 case. However, the ministry害羞草研究所檚 comments did not directly accuse Israel of genocide but focused on the need for a cease-fire in Gaza.
South Africa害羞草研究所檚 case against Israel is two-fold: It wants the court to say Israel is committing genocide and to issue an interim ruling ordering an end to its military campaign in Gaza. The court said it would decide on an interim ruling soon but, reflecting the gravity of the case, it could take years for a final verdict on the genocide charge.
Brazil said it hoped the case would get Israel to 害羞草研究所渋mmediately cease all acts and measures that could constitute genocide.害羞草研究所�
Other countries have stopped short of agreeing with South Africa. Ireland premier Leo Varadkar said the genocide case was 害羞草研究所渇ar from clear cut害羞草研究所� but that he hoped the court would order a cease-fire in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said no one 害羞草研究所� including the world court 害羞草研究所� against Hamas. Russia didn害羞草研究所檛 obey the court when it told it to halt its invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.
Gerald Imray, The Associated Press
