South Africa's lawsuit at ICJ must be joined by countries condemning Israel’s crimes, says NGO

The governments of several countries have been reminded of their legal and moral responsibilities under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and urged to join the case filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel on charges of genocide. The Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) sent letters to those countries which have been vocal in their criticism of Israel’s apparent crimes.

A legal memorandum drafted by British legal expert Dr Ralph Wilde was attached to the letter to each country, listing the legal repercussions of not joining the case brought by South Africa against Israel at the ICJ. The document clarified the obligations of each state under international law in light of the apparent violations of the Genocide Convention by the occupation state.

These obligations include in particular the need to take effective measures to prevent and stop any acts or practices that may constitute genocide as defined in international law, with a stress on the importance of this responsibility now more than ever, given the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The legal opinion highlighted several measures that states should take, including:

• Stopping all kinds of support to Israel that could be used directly or indirectly to commit genocide;
• Imposing travel bans and sanctions on individuals suspected of involvement in the genocide in the Gaza Strip; and
• Supporting international legal bodies, such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, to take the necessary measures to hold those involved in these crimes accountable.

The letter stressed that these steps are not only necessary to comply with the Genocide Convention, but also to consolidate the principles of justice and human rights worldwide, ensure redress for victims and prosecute the perpetrators of the most serious international crimes.

The AOHR UK urged governments to review the legal memorandum carefully and work to take urgent and concrete steps in line with their international obligations. It also called on the countries to adopt an effective and positive stance towards the South African case against Israel, going beyond mere symbolic statements to practical actions that contribute to supporting justice and accountability.

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