By Lehlohonpolo Lehana.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is holding its second day of hearings into the crimes of Israel and its obligation to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Representatives from several countries, including South Africa, Algeria, and Saudi Arabia, addressed the ICJ on Tuesday.
In December, the UN requested the world court to provide it with an advisory opinion on Israel’s actions in Gaza, and is a separate matter from South Africa’s genocide case brought against Israel in December 2023.
South Africa was first up on the second day of oral hearings in The Hague.
Zane Dangor, director-general of South Africa’s Department of International Relations, launched Tuesday’s proceedings at the International Court of Justice with strong condemnation of Israel’s actions.
Dangor argued that Israel was committing crimes in Gaza and across the occupied territories with complete impunity.
“We wish to emphasize the impunity with which Israel is inflicting these harms. Israel continues to act with impunity as it does enjoy some form of exceptionalism from accountability to international law and norms.”
“Any country or entity which seeks to hold Israel accountable for its inhumane and unlawful actions is subject to countermeasures and sanctions from which the UN and this court has not been spared.”
Dangor also slammed the Israeli ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and connected recent attacks on UNRWA to broader political aims.
“In this context, the UN and UNRWA is one of the latest casualties of Israel.”
South Africa has been praised by activists as the vanguard of the global conscience and voice of the oppressed.
On the first day of the hearings, Palestine’s ambassador to the Netherlands said Israel has not allowed any food, water, medical supplies, or fuel into Gaza for two months, leading to a man-made humanitarian catastrophe, including deaths by starvation.
In total, 40 states and four international organizations will speak during the ICJ hearings between April 28 and May 2.
Israel is not attending the proceedings, but it has provided a written submission to the ICJ.
The UN top court has already ordered the Israeli regime to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide in Gaza.