Latest news with #1948GenocideConvention
Dubai Eye
5 days ago
- Politics
- Dubai Eye
Brazil to join South Africa's Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ
Brazil is finalising its submission to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel's actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. South Africa filed a case in 2023 asking the ICJ to declare that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The case argues that in its war against Hamas fighters, Israel's military actions go beyond targeting Hamas alone by attacking civilians, with strikes on schools, hospitals, camps and shelters. Other countries – including Spain, Turkey and Colombia – have also sought to join the case against Israel. In its statement, the Brazilian government accused Israel of violations of international law "such as the annexation of territories by force" and it expressed "deep indignation" at violence suffered by the civilian population. Israel denies deliberately targeting Palestinian civilians, saying its sole interest is to annihilate Hamas. Lawyers for Israel have dismissed South Africa's case as an abuse of the genocide convention. The Israeli embassy in Brasilia said the Brazilian statement used "harsh words that do not fully portray the reality of what is currently happening in Gaza," while Brazil also "completely ignored" the role of Hamas within Gaza's reality. Brazil's National Israeli association CONIB said in a statement in response to Wednesday's decision, "The breaking of Brazil's long-standing friendship and partnership with Israel is a misguided move that proves the extremism of our foreign policy." Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has long been an outspoken critic of Israel's actions in Gaza, but Wednesday's decision carries added significance amid heightened tensions between Brazil and Israel ally the US. The Trump administration announced 50 per cent tariffs on all Brazilian goods this month. A diplomat familiar with the thinking of the Lula administration told Reuters that Brazil does not believe its decision to join South Africa's case will impact its relationship with Washington. The US has opposed South Africa's genocide case under both Democratic former President Joe Biden and Trump, a Republican. In February, Trump signed an executive order to cut US financial assistance to South Africa, citing in part its ICJ case.
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Brazil to join South Africa's Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ
Brazil is finalizing its submission to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel's actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. South Africa filed a case in 2023 asking the ICJ to declare that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The case argues that in its war against Hamas militants, Israel's military actions go beyond targeting Hamas alone by attacking civilians, with strikes on schools, hospitals, camps and shelters. Other countries – including Spain, Turkey and Colombia – have also sought to join the case against Israel. In its statement, the Brazilian government accused Israel of violations of international law 'such as the annexation of territories by force,' and it expressed 'deep indignation' at violence suffered by the civilian population. Israel denies deliberately targeting Palestinian civilians, saying its sole interest is to annihilate Hamas. Lawyers for Israel have dismissed South Africa's case as an abuse of the genocide convention. The Israeli embassy in Brasilia saidthe Brazilian statement used 'harsh words that do not fully portray the reality of what is currently happening in Gaza,' while Brazil also 'completely ignored' the role of Hamas within Gaza's reality. Brazil's National Israeli association CONIB said in a statement in response to Wednesday's decision: 'The breaking of Brazil's long-standing friendship and partnership with Israel is a misguided move that proves the extremism of our foreign policy.' Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has long been an outspoken critic of Israel's actions in Gaza, but Wednesday's decision carries added significance amid heightened tensions between Brazil and Israel ally the United States. The Trump administration announced 50% tariffs on all Brazilian goods this month. A diplomat familiar with the thinking of the Lula administration told Reuters that Brazil does not believe its decision to join South Africa's case will impact its relationship with Washington. The United States has opposed South Africa's genocide case under both Democratic former President Joe Biden and Trump, a Republican. In February, Trump signed an executive order to cut U.S. financial assistance to South Africa, citing in part its ICJ case.
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Brazil to join South Africa's ICJ case against Israel
BRASILIA: Brazil will request to intervene in South Africa's genocide case against Israel's actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. South Africa filed a case in 2023 asking the ICJ to declare that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention in its crackdown against the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.
Saba Yemen
6 days ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Brazil nears joining Gaza genocide case at ICJ
Brasília - Saba: The Brazilian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that it is in the final stages of submitting a formal request to join the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding its military actions in the Gaza Strip. In a statement cited by Quds Press, the ministry stressed that the ongoing atrocities in Gaza cannot be met with international silence. It emphasized that the global community must not remain idle in the face of violations against civilians in the besieged enclave. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated on Tuesday that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza, clarifying that the situation is "not a war" but rather a systematic killing of civilians, particularly women and children. Latin American Nations Join South Africa's Case Five Latin American countries have successively joined the lawsuit filed by South Africa at the ICJ, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinian civilians in Gaza during its continuous aggression since October 7, 2023. - Nicaragua was the first Latin American country to take this step, formally submitting a request to the court on February 16, 2024, to join as a "third party." It argued that Israel's actions in Gaza violate the 1948 Genocide Convention and called for accountability. - Colombia filed a similar request on April 5, 2024, stating its aim was to "defend the Palestinian people's right to life and dignity" and ensure accountability for crimes against civilians. - Chile submitted its formal request on September 13, 2024, following President Gabriel Boric's announcement in June that Chile would support South Africa's legal efforts, calling Gaza's humanitarian tragedy a matter requiring decisive legal action. - Bolivia officially joined the case on October 9, 2024, expressing full support for legal measures to hold Israel accountable. - Cuba intervened on January 13, 2025, submitting a declaration in support of South Africa's call for accountability over "grave and systematic violations of international humanitarian law." Brazil is now set to become the sixth Latin American country to join the case. ICJ's Provisional Measures On January 26, 2024, the ICJ issued provisional measures ordering Israel to take all possible steps to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, including ensuring humanitarian aid access and preventing incitement to hatred. While the court has not yet ruled on the case's merits, it found South Africa's claims "plausible enough" to warrant urgent measures—a legal basis that prompted multiple countries to intervene. South Africa filed the lawsuit on December 29, 2023, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention through its military operations in Gaza, which have killed tens of thousands of civilians, mostly women and children. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Qatar Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Brazil to join South Africa's ICJ ‘genocide' case against Israel
Agencies BRASILIA Brazil said it will request to intervene in South Africa's genocide case against Israel's actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice. South Africa filed a case in 2023 asking the ICJ to declare that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention in its crackdown against the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza. Other countries – such as Spain, Turkey, and Colombia – had already asked the court to intervene in the case. 'The international community cannot remain inactive in the face of ongoing atrocities,' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 'Brazil believes there is no longer room for moral ambiguity or political omission. Impunity undermines international legality and undermines the credibility of the multilateral system.' Brazil's planned intervention in the case, earlier reported by the Brazilian paper Folha de S Paulo, comes as Israeli abuses in Gaza, including harsh restrictions on aid that have brought the Gaza Strip to the brink of mass famine, are under growing scrutiny. The 'Brazilian government announces that it is in the final stages of submitting a formal intervention in the ongoing case at the International Court of Justice, brought by South Africa under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,' the statement said. 'The Brazilian government expresses deep indignation at the recurring episodes of violence against the civilian population in the State of Palestine, not limited to the Gaza Strip but extending to the West Bank.' The South American nation said that civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank have been subjected to 'recurring episodes of violence' and serious rights violations, including the 'shameless use of starvation as a weapon of war'. Several other countries, including Spain, Turkiye, and the Republic of Ireland, have also asked to intervene in the case, urging the ICJ to state that Israel is in violation of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention. Brazil has itself become increasingly vocal in its criticism of Israel, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva denouncing Israel's actions in Gaza as a genocide at a BRICS meeting earlier this month. The Foreign Ministry statement notes that the decision to intervene in the case is based on the 'plausibility that the rights of Palestinians to protection against acts of genocide are being irreversibly impaired'. The court has yet to rule on whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, but issued an order in January 2024, demanding that Israel take action to prevent genocide in the Strip through acts such as allowing greater access to humanitarian aid. However, pressure has had little impact, and the United States and other Western allies have remained firmly supportive of Israel despite a growing chorus of experts and rights groups warning of systematic rights abuses in Gaza. Israel initiated a full blockade in March that barred all aid from Gaza for several months, before allowing a limited resumption of assistance through the GHF.
