South Africa says more than 50 countries have expressed support for accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in
Others, including , have strongly rejected South Africa91裸聊视频檚 allegation that Israel is violating the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Many more have remained silent.
The world91裸聊视频檚 reaction to the landmark case that was heard Thursday and Friday at the International Court of Justice in The Hague shows a predictable global split when it comes to the inextricable, 75-year-old problem of Israel and the Palestinians. Sunday marks 100 days of
The majority of countries backing South Africa91裸聊视频檚 case are from the Arab world and Africa. In Europe, only the Muslim nation of Turkey has publicly stated its support.
No Western country has declared support for South Africa91裸聊视频檚 allegations against Israel. The U.S., a close Israel ally, has rejected them as unfounded, the U.K. has called them unjustified, and Germany said it 91裸聊视频渆xplicitly rejects91裸聊视频� them.
China and Russia have said little about one of the most momentous cases to come before an international court. The European Union also hasn91裸聊视频檛 commented.
US: 91裸聊视频楳ERITLESS91裸聊视频� ALLEGATIONS
U.S. Secretary of State said on a visit to Israel a day before the court proceedings began that South Africa91裸聊视频檚 allegations are 91裸聊视频渕eritless91裸聊视频� and that the case 91裸聊视频渄istracts the world91裸聊视频� from efforts to find a lasting solution to the conflict. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said genocide is 91裸聊视频渘ot a word that ought to be thrown around lightly, and we certainly don91裸聊视频檛 believe that it applies here.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 agree with what the South Africans are doing,91裸聊视频� U.K. Foreign Minister David Cameron said of the case.
Israel fiercely rejects the allegations of genocide and says it is . It says the offensive is aimed at eradicating the leaders of Hamas, the militant group that runs the territory and provoked the conflict by on southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and
Blinken said a genocide case against Israel was 91裸聊视频減articularly galling91裸聊视频� given that Hamas and other groups 91裸聊视频渃ontinue to openly call for and the mass murder of Jews.91裸聊视频�
The U.S., the U.K., the EU and others classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
in Gaza has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza91裸聊视频檚 Health Ministry. The count doesn91裸聊视频檛 distinguish between combatants and civilians. It says more than two-thirds of the dead are women and children. Much of northern Gaza has become with entire neighborhoods erased by Israeli air strikes and tank fire.
South Africa has also condemned Hamas91裸聊视频� Oct. 7 attack but argues that it did not justify Israel91裸聊视频檚 response.
GERMAN SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
Germany91裸聊视频檚 announcement of support for Israel on Friday, the day the hearings closed, has symbolic significance given its history of , when the Nazis killed 6 million Jews in Europe. Israel was created after World War II as a haven for Jews in the shadow of those atrocities.
91裸聊视频淚srael has been defending itself,91裸聊视频� German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said. His statement also invoked the Holocaust, which in large part spurred the creation of the U.N. Genocide Convention in 1948.
91裸聊视频淚n view of Germany91裸聊视频檚 history 91裸聊视频� the Federal Government sees itself as particularly committed to the Convention against Genocide,91裸聊视频� he said. He called the allegations against Israel 91裸聊视频渃ompletely unfounded.91裸聊视频�
Germany said it intends to intervene in the case on Israel91裸聊视频檚 behalf.
The EU has only said that countries have a right to bring cases to the U.N. court. Most of its member states have refrained from taking a position.
Turkey, which is in the process of joining the EU, was a lone voice in the region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country provided documents that were being used against Israel in the case.
91裸聊视频淲ith these documents, Israel will be condemned,91裸聊视频� he said.
ARAB CONDEMNATION
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation was one of the first blocs to publicly back the case late last month. It said there was 91裸聊视频渕ass genocide being perpetrated by the Israeli defense forces91裸聊视频� and accused Israel of 91裸聊视频渋ndiscriminate targeting91裸聊视频� of
The OIC is a bloc of 57 countries that includes Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt. Its headquarters are in Saudi Arabia. The Cairo-based Arab League, whose 22 member countries are almost all part of the OIC, also backed South Africa91裸聊视频檚 case.
South Africa drew some support from outside the Arab world. Namibia and Pakistan agreed with the case at a U.N. General Assembly session this week. Malaysia also expressed support.
91裸聊视频淣o peace-loving human being can ignore the carnage waged against Palestinians in Gaza,91裸聊视频� Namibian President Hage Geingob was quoted as saying in the southern African nation91裸聊视频檚 The Namibian newspaper.
Malaysia91裸聊视频檚 Foreign Ministry demanded 91裸聊视频渓egal accountability for Israel91裸聊视频檚 atrocities in Gaza.91裸聊视频�
CHINA AND RUSSIA: SILENCE
China, 91裸聊视频� which is also facing allegations of genocide in the world court 91裸聊视频� and the emerging power of have largely remained silent, seemingly aware that taking a stand in such an inflammatory case has little upside and could irreversibly upset their relationships in the region.
India91裸聊视频檚 foreign policy has historically supported the Palestinian cause, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first global leaders to express and call the Hamas attack terrorism.
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE
A handful of South American countries have spoken up, including the continent91裸聊视频檚 biggest economy, Brazil, whose Foreign Ministry said President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva backed South Africa91裸聊视频檚 case. However, the ministry91裸聊视频檚 comments did not directly accuse Israel of genocide but focused on the need for a cease-fire in Gaza.
South Africa91裸聊视频檚 case against Israel is two-fold: It wants the court to say Israel is committing genocide and to issue an interim ruling ordering an end to its military campaign in Gaza. The court said it would decide on an interim ruling soon but, reflecting the gravity of the case, it could take years for a final verdict on the genocide charge.
Brazil said it hoped the case would get Israel to 91裸聊视频渋mmediately cease all acts and measures that could constitute genocide.91裸聊视频�
Other countries have stopped short of agreeing with South Africa. Ireland premier Leo Varadkar said the genocide case was 91裸聊视频渇ar from clear cut91裸聊视频� but that he hoped the court would order a cease-fire in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said no one 91裸聊视频� including the world court 91裸聊视频� against Hamas. Russia didn91裸聊视频檛 obey the court when it told it to halt its invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.
Gerald Imray, The Associated Press
