Genocide in Gaza: it must be stopped! Support for South Africa in its application to the International Court of Justice
Three months ago, Israel launched a total aggression against the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian people in response to the attack by Hamas commandos on October 7.
Three months of massacres, forced transfers, massive destruction: Israel bombs, starves, kills the population of Gaza, a devastated territory, an “uninhabitable place of death”.
Three months of mobilization of the people of many countries, including France, to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and that it stops this planned ethnic cleansing.
But also three months of unconditional support (then very moderately critical) for Israel from our leaders who have still not condemned the war crimes, crimes against humanity, crime of genocide committed by the Israeli army against the Palestinian people.
Because it is indeed a genocide that is underway in the Gaza Strip as demonstrated by the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) in a very comprehensive resolution.
Genocide is a crime whose definition in law must be verified: it means “acts committed with the intention of destroying, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”. Among these acts, “the murder of members of the group”, “the intentional subjection of the group to conditions of existence intended to lead to its total or partial physical destruction”.
Everything that Israel has done for three months is in line with this definition, starting with the announcement of the total siege to which Israel immediately decided to subject the inhabitants, ensuring that in Gaza, people are not only dying from deliberate bombings. civilians also die from not being able to drink, eat or take care of themselves. Israel deliberately inflicts living conditions on Palestinians in Gaza calculated to bring about their destruction.
Everything is in place so that there are as many deaths as possible. Witnesses such as journalists are deliberately targeted.
For genocide to be proven, the intention to destroy must be proven. However, we can no longer count the declarations of Israeli officials advocating the destruction of all or part of the Palestinian population considered collectively responsible.
Furthermore, the testimonies and images received describe the increase in criminal abuses against civilians in Gaza, the West Bank or in Israeli prisons. Abuses which very probably represent war crimes and crimes against humanity.
And yet, still no ceasefire, still no sanction against Israel, whose impunity has remained intact for 75 years!
Faced with this situation, faced with the inaction of Western states, South Africa submitted a request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel for violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in Gaza stating that “Israel has committed, is committing and risks committing acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.” She asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to indicate interim measures to protect the rights of Palestinians against “further, serious and irreparable harm”. This request will be examined by the ICJ on January 11 and 12.
The France Palestine Solidarity Association urges France, as a State party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, to urgently support the request for provisional measures presented by South Africa.
A genocide in progress cannot be seen, it stops!
The AFPS National Office
January 10, 2024
>> Call for urgent action “Genocide: support South Africa’s case against Israel before the International Court of Justice!”
