| Genocide as pattern and policy On January 11, South Africa presented its arguments before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its historic case accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. As proceedings began on Thursday morning, hundreds of people gathered outside the court in The Hague, chanting “Stop, stop genocide” and “we are all Palestinians”. South Africa has argued that “against a background of apartheid, expulsion, ethnic cleansing, annexation, occupation, discrimination, and the ongoing denial of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination— Israel, since October 7, 2023 in particular, has failed to prevent genocide and has failed to prosecute the direct and public incitement to genocide.” The second day of the hearing on South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza took place at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on January 12. Over the course of three hours, Israel presented its response to the arguments made by Pretoria’s legal team the day prior. In its arguments on Friday, Israel refused to respond to the substance and evidence presented in South Africa’s case. Rather, in his opening address, Tal Becker, the legal advisor to the Israeli foreign ministry stated that South Africa had put forth a “distorted factual and legal picture”, and that it had tried to “weaponize the term genocide against Israel.” Members of the South African Delegation at the ICJ. Photo: ICJ Meanwhile, Yemen, a bulwark of solidarity with Palestine, is being bombed by the US and the UK in retaliation. US and the UK forces carried out several air strikes inside Yemen early on Friday, January 12. According to a statement issued by the US Central Command (Centcom), the attacks were carried out around 2:30 am local time targeting “radar systems, air defense systems, and storage and launch sites” inside Yemen. A site in Sanaa hit by joint airstrikes by the US and the UK on January 12, 2024. (Photo: Al Mayadeen) From within the belly of the beast, a coalition of Muslim and pro-Palestine organizations are taking the overwhelmingly popular demand for a ceasefire straight to Biden’s doorstep on January 13, at 1 pm, at the Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC. The “March for Gaza” is being organized by the American Muslim Task Force on Palestine, which includes American Muslims for Palestine, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Islamic Circle of North America, Muslim American Society, Muslim Student Association-National, Muslim Legal Fund of America, Muslim Ummah of North America, and Young Muslims, alongside the ANSWER Coalition, which played a key role in organizing the largest pro-Palestine demonstration in US history on November 4. The demands of the march are a permanent ceasefire, an end to unconditional US funding of Israel’s genocide, and Israeli accountability for crimes against Palestinians and violations of international law. Half a million people participated in the largest pro-Palestine march in US history on November 4 (Photo: Bratton Young) Give The People What They Want! South Africa’s case against Israel in the ICJ, Unrest in Ecuador |
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