Canada to state its position on South Africa’s case against Israel

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OTTAWA – The Trudeau authorities is predicted to state its place on South Africa taking Israel to the United Nation’s high court docket over claims that the Jewish state is committing “genocide” towards Palestinians.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stated the federal government is conscious of South Africa’s submitting and is “reviewing the case rigorously.”

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Hearings started on the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice Thursday, with South Africa’s authorized staff demanding that the court docket order an emergency suspension of Israel’s navy actions within the Hamas-run territory. Officers in Gaza declare the dying toll is now greater than 23,000 folks, though the Hamas authorities doesn’t distinguish between civilian and militant deaths and the dying toll has not been independently verified.

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“The intent to destroy Gaza has been nurtured on the highest stage of state,” stated Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, advocate of the Excessive Courtroom of South Africa, in the course of the proceedings. “That’s evident from the best way through which this navy assault is being performed.”

Israel has rejected the accusations of genocide as false and baseless. The US has slammed the prosecution as meritless and counterproductive, the U.Okay. has described it as unhelpful, and a lot of the world has kept away from commenting.

South Africa’s case has been supported by a couple of dozen international locations, together with Brazil, Colombia, Iran and Malaysia, in addition to the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Joanna Baron, govt director of the Canadian Structure Basis, went by means of the 84 pages of South Africa’s software. She stated that the majority of the declare largely focuses on the historical past of the Israel-Palestinian battle and it’s “exceedingly one-sided”.

“It’s under no circumstances a good or balanced or nuanced accounting of the battle,” she stated. “It doesn’t embody any of the peace provides that had been rejected by Palestinians, doesn’t go into the trauma that the Israeli collective psyche suffered after one thing just like the second intifada.”

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“It’s simply very slanted, and I perceive, as a lawyer, for making their case for the Palestinian aspect, however it was additionally stunning to me to see a kind of revisionist historical past of the Israel-Palestine battle by South Africa.”

On the claims of genocidal behaviour put to the court docket, Baron stated she observed various “anecdotal accounts of alleged atrocities” dedicated by the Israel Protection Forces that haven’t been substantiated nor confirmed by impartial organizations.

Different statements are merely false, she famous, together with figuring out Danny Neumann as a “former Israeli Knesset member” who known as for the whole destruction of Gaza. Neumann is, in truth, an Israeli sports activities commentator and a former soccer participant.

Put up-apartheid South Africa has lengthy been a critic of Israel and a supporter of the Palestinians. The governing African Nationwide Congress had cast ties with the Palestine Liberation Group in the course of the apartheid period when the ANC was nonetheless a Black African liberation motion.

The conflict started after Hamas’s Oct. 7 terror assault towards Israel through which militants killed 1,200 folks and took a whole bunch extra hostage again to Gaza. Some hostages have since been launched however Hamas continues to carry greater than 100 folks captive. Israel says it’s waging conflict towards Hamas, not the Palestinian folks.

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Canada considers Hamas to be a terrorist group, and Defence Minister Invoice Blair has publicly stated that the group must be “eradicated as a menace” to the world.

For the reason that begin of the conflict, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has confronted rising calls from Liberal MPs, together with a few of Muslim religion, to ask for a ceasefire in Gaza. Canada finally voted in favour of a ceasefire in a non-binding movement final month on the United Nations.

Different members of the Liberal caucus they didn’t agree with the unconditional name for a ceasefire. MP Anthony Housefather stated Canada had deserted its “conventional place” on Israel.

South Africa’s software has adopted related divisions within the Liberal caucus, with some MPs calling on Canada to help it and others asking Canada to oppose it.

Liberal MP Salma Zahid known as on Canada to help South Africa’s software, saying it’s in line with Canada’s “long-stated dedication to the rule of legislation”.

Her colleague Iqra Khalid additionally wrote on X, previously Twitter, that she helps South Africa’s submission to the court docket, arguing that “credible allegations that worldwide legislation has been violated should be investigation and people accountable should be held accountable.”

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“This isn’t about taking sides. No nation will be above the legislation,” she stated.

Former Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino and Housefather put out a joint assertion this week saying they agree with retired Supreme Courtroom Justice Rosalie Abella’s view that South Africa’s declare that Israel is committing genocide is “baseless and unconscionable.”

Abella wrote within the Globe and Mail on Jan. 9 that the case towards Israel represents “an outrageous and cynical abuse” of the postwar authorized order and that “it’s a authorized absurdity to counsel {that a} nation that’s defending itself from genocide is thereby responsible of genocide.”

The Worldwide Courtroom of Justice, based mostly in The Hague, will hearken to Israel’s response on Friday. Israel is predicted to invoke its proper to self-defence towards Hamas after the assaults of Oct. 7.

The court docket is predicted to rule on doable emergency measures later this month. Proceedings on the genocide allegations might take years, however its rulings are largely symbolic as there are not any enforcement mechanisms.

Nationwide Put up

calevesque@postmedia.com

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