he International Court of Justice opened hearings on Thursday into South Africa’s allegation that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in its war with Hamas.
South Africa filed the case against Israel in December, and is asking the United Nations’ top court to order an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has denied the claims, with Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu saying in a video statement on Wednesday that Israel’s military operaiton was “in fulll compliance with international law”.
The case has struck at the heart of Israel’s national identity as a Jewish state created in the aftermath of the Nazi genocide in the Holocaust.
South Africa’s identity is similarly involved, with the country having long compared Israel’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank to its own history under the apartheid regime of white minority rule.
There has been numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations across South Africa over the past month, with President Cyril Ramaphosa among several ANC officials who have participated.
Home to the largest Jewish community in sub-Saharan Africa, the country has also seen several pro-Israel demonstrations and initiatives.
