Israeli President Isaac Herzog said yesterday that the war that Israel has waged on the besieged Gaza Strip “has various faces and fronts, including international law,” in remarks he issued on the eve of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing into accusations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
This came in a post on X, formerly Twitter, aimed at “encouraging” the Israeli team sent to The Hague to represent Tel Aviv in the lawsuit filed by South Africa.
Herzog said: “I commend the civil servants, lawyers, consultants and all the professional, talented and dedicated staff who will present Israel’s position before the International Court of Justice in The Hague; And I wish much success to Judge Aharon Barak in his important task.”
“The campaign we are in the midst of has a variety of faces and fronts, including that of international law – which is extremely important and vital, and in all of them we will fight resolutely for the righteousness of our way, for our people’s right to security, and for the Jewish and democratic values that are our outlines – even during a war that cannot be justified,” he added.
He assured them: “We are all behind you, no politics, no camps. Together we will stand firm against evil, hypocrisy and bloodshed wherever they are.”
Israel has rejected what it called “the baseless claims intended to stir up lethal hatred of Jews.”
Herzog attacked South Africa in light of the lawsuit filed before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of committing acts of genocide against the Palestinians during its war on the Gaza Strip, in his conversation with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, stating: “There is nothing more atrocious and preposterous than this claim.”
Several countries announced their support for South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel, and prepared it with the necessary legal arguments, including Jordan, Bolivia, Bangladesh, the Comoros and Djibouti. The court is expected to decide on the interim measures requested by South Africa, which are urgent judicial orders applied immediately, while the final verdict on the case may take several years.
Source: Middle East Monitor
