Axios: Here's a press conference on Israel's plan to block ICJ genocide case

Axios said it had obtained a copy of a cable from the Israeli Foreign Ministry that included instructions to pressure its embassy to pressure diplomats and politicians in the host country to issue a statement on the case brought by South Africa. international court of justiceWhat crimes is Israel accused of committing? genocide exist Gaza.

The cable outlines Israel's diplomatic plan of action ahead of next week's “International Justice” conference to put international pressure on the court not to issue a judicial order ordering Israel to suspend its war in Gaza.

South Africa filed the lawsuit last week and said in its 84-page report that the military operation in Gaza violated Israel's obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

The convention defines genocide as “acts committed with the intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group” and emphasizes that Israeli actions in Gaza “are considered to be genocidal in nature because they are aimed at the destruction of Gaza “a large part” of the Palestinian population in the strip.

Great impact

Israel immediately dismissed the case as “baseless” but unlike previous cases at the ICJ, Israel decided to appear because it is a signatory to the Genocide Convention and was represented by British lawyer Malcolm Shaw.

South Africa asked the court to take urgent interim measures, including ordering Israel to suspend its military operations in Gaza while the case is pending.

It is clear from the Israeli Foreign Ministry cable that Israel's “strategic objectives” are for the court to reject requests for judicial orders, not to find Israel guilty of genocide in Gaza, and to recognize the presence of Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. According to international law.

The cable stated that “the court's decision may have significant political, economic and security implications, not just legal implications” and therefore it confirmed that “we demand an immediate and clear public statement, along the lines of: You publicly and unambiguously state Your country rejects the outrageous, ridiculous and baseless accusations against “Israel”.

Under the 1948 Convention, genocide is defined as the creation of conditions that do not allow a population to survive with the intent to eliminate it, the cable said. It is, therefore, “vital” to emphasize Israel's efforts to increase humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza and reduce civilian deaths.

binding terms

In the cable, the Israeli embassy was instructed to ask top diplomats and politicians to “publicly acknowledge that Israel is working to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza and reduce harm to civilians, and that Israel's actions are in self-defence.”

Israel's ambassador has also been instructed to urgently obtain such a statement ahead of the meeting, which begins on January 11, and has been told that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will send the same message to dozens of world leaders.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said “we believe this proposal is baseless, counterproductive and has absolutely no basis in reality,” but countries that support the Palestinians, including Turkey and Jordan, have backed the issue.

Although international judicial orders are binding, enforcement is difficult, especially given that Russia last year rejected a court order to halt its invasion of Ukraine.