APA-Pretoria (South Africa) The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will on Friday deliver judgement in the case in which South Africa is accusing Israel of genocide in its assault on the Gaza Strip in Palestine.
In a notice late Wednesday, the ICJ said a public sitting would take place at 1pm (1200 GMT) at the Peace Palace in The Hague during which court president Joan Donoghue would read the judgement.
“The International Court of Justice will deliver its Order on the Request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South Africa in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel),” the notice said.
South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor is expected to be present during the announcement of the judgement, according to her spokesperson Clayson Monyela.
Earlier this month South Africa asked the ICJ, also known as the World Court, to order an emergency suspension of Israel’s devastating military campaign in the Palestinian enclave.
It argued that provisional measures are necessary “to protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention, which continue to be violated with impunity”.
Israel has rejected the accusations, insisting that its military operation is in self-defence in the wake of an earlier attack by Hamas militants.
NM/jn/APA