Here is what has happened at the ICJ today

The hearing for South Africa’s genocide case against Israel has concluded for today. 

ICJ president Joan Donoghue of the United States introduced South African Judge Dikgang Ernest Moseneke and Israeli Judge Aharon Barak, who will sit with the judges. 

These are some of the main points the South African representatives made today: 

• Vusimuzi Madonsela, South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands, opened the proceedings with the comments that his country “acknowledges that genocidal acts and permissions by Israel inevitably form part of a continuum of illegal acts perpetrated against the people, Palestinian people, since 1948”.
• “South Africa has recognised the ongoing Nakba of the Palestinian people through Israel’s colonisation since 1948,” added the ambassador. 
• Ronald Lamola, South Africa's Justice Minister, said: “The violence and the destruction in Palestine and Israel did not begin on October 7 2023"
• “The Palestinians have experienced systematic oppression and violence for the last 76 years, on October 6 2023, and every day since October 7 2023," he added
• Adila Hassim, a lawyer representing South Africa, said: "South Africa contends that Israel has transgressed Article 2 of the convention by committing actions that fall within the definition of genocide. The actions show systematic patterns of conduct from which genocide can be inferred"
• Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, South Africa's second advocate, said: "Genocidal intent against the Palestinians in Gaza is evident from the way in which Israel’s military attack is being conducted"
• “Israel’s political leaders, military commanders and persons holding official positions have systematically and in explicit terms declared their genocidal intent," added Ngcukaitobi
• Professor John Dugard said that South Africa “watched with horror as Israel responded to the terrible atrocities committed against its people on October 7 with an attack on Gaza that resulted in the indiscriminate killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, most of whom were women and children"
• Professor Max du Plessis said: "Palestinians in Gaza, as a very substantial and important part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group, simply, but profoundly, are entitled to exist"
• "Based on the materials before the court, the acts by Israel complained of are capable of being characterised as at least plausibly genocidal," added Du Plessis
• Blinne Ni Ghralaigh said: "There is an urgent need for provisional measures to protect Palestinians in Gaza from the irreparable prejudice caused by Israel’s violation of the genocide convention."
• Vaughan Lowe said the ICJ does not now “have to determine whether or not Israel has, or has not, acted contrary to its obligations under the Genocide Convention”
• Vusimuzi Madonsela made the following closing remarks on behalf of South Africa today, telling the ICJ that the court had a duty “to prevent genocide and to do so in the discharge of the international obligation that rests on South Africa and all other states under the convention”.