Tel Aviv: Balakirshnan Rajagopal, the UN Particular Rapporteur on the correct to ample housing, mentioned on Wednesday that the Worldwide Court docket of Justice (ICJ) ought to take into account the homes which have been destroyed or broken in Gaza “as proof of genocide” when it hears a case filed by South Africa towards Israel.
In a put up on X, the particular envoy mentioned: “About 56 per cent of homes in Gaza are destroyed or broken. Northern Gaza is most closely affected with upto 82 per cent destroyed or broken. ICJ ought to take into account this as proof of genocide when coupled with public statements documented earlier than it by South Africa.”
In his put up, he additionally connected a report by the Decentralised Harm Mapping Group, which confirmed that 45.3 per cent (130,200) to 55.9 per cent (160,800) of buildings within the Gaza Strip had been seemingly broken or destroyed as of January 5.
The report additionally mentioned that between 71.1 to 82.7 per cent of buildings within the space round Gaza Metropolis had been “seemingly broken or destroyed”.
The hearings on the ICJ scheduled to happen on Thursday and Friday pertain to a case filed by South Africa on December 29, 2023 accusing Israel of committing “genocidal” acts” in Gaza amid the raging conflict with Hamas.
Following its 84-page software to The Hague-based ICJ — which is the UN’s principal judicial organ — South Africa’s presidency mentioned in a press release that the nation was obliged “to forestall genocide from occurring”.
South Africa is scheduled to current its oral arguments on Thursday, with Israel set to do the identical the next day.
Instantly after South Africa submitted its software, spokesperson for Israel’s Overseas Ministry Lior Haiat had mentioned that the nation’s declare “constitutes despicable and contemptuous exploitation of the Court docket”.
Whereas confirming that the Israeli authorities will attend the hearings,Nationwide Safety Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi instructed native media final week that the Jewish nation has “signed the conference towards genocide for many years, and we will definitely not boycott the continuing, however arise and repel the absurd blood plot towards us.”
The US has additionally denounced the case, saying it was meritless, counterproductive and fully with none foundation in actual fact in any way.
In the meantime, Israel has named retired Supreme Court docket decide, Justice Aharon Barak, because the nation’s appointee to the 15-judge ICJ panel that may hear the case.
South Africa has been extremely important of Israel’s ongoing army operation in Gaza. In November 2023, it recalled all of its diplomats from Israel.
Israel, in flip, recalled its Ambassador from Pretoria.
