The Palestinian Authority has applied to be allowed to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over alleged genocide in the Gaza Strip, the court said in a statement.
⠀
“On the thirty-first of May, the State of Palestine filed with the Registry of the Court an application for leave to intervene and an application for intervention in the case,” the release stated.
⠀
The documents of the Palestinian authorities are also accompanied by a statement from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry recognizing the competence of the UN court to resolve disputes.
⠀
On December 29, 2023, South Africa filed a claim against Israel under the genocide convention at the International Court of Justice in The Hague over the situation in the Gaza Strip, calling on the court to take provisional measures against the Israeli authorities. South Africa pointed out that Israel’s actions against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are a “violation of obligations under the Genocide Convention.”
⠀
According to the African country’s statement, “Israel’s actions and inactions… are in the nature of genocide, as they are committed with the specific intent… to destroy the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group.”
⠀
The International Court of Justice in The Hague on January 26 issued an interim decision on South Africa’s claim requesting provisional measures against Israel over alleged genocide in the Gaza Strip. The court ordered Israel to take all measures to prevent genocide in the Gaza Strip, punish calls for genocide against Palestinians, ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to the residents of the area, and ensure the preservation of evidence related to allegations of acts against the Palestinian people described in the Convention about genocide. At the same time, the UN court did not oblige Israel to stop its military operation in the Gaza Strip, which South Africa asked for in its lawsuit.
