Israel before the UN court: accusation of genocide unfounded and absurd. Pope’s associate writes erotic literature – conservatives outraged

Israel has firmly rejected accusations of genocide in the Gaza war at the International Court of Justice. South Africa’s accusations are baseless and absurd, Israeli Foreign Ministry legal adviser Tal Becker said in The Hague on Friday. The victims of the Gaza war and the suffering of the civilian population were the sole responsibility of the terrorist organization Hamas.

Becker justified the attacks in the Gaza Strip with Israel’s right to self-defense after the attack by Hamas and other extremists on October 7 last year. Becker described the massacres in which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 people were kidnapped from Israel, about half of whom have been released so far. ‘Israel does not want to destroy a nation, but to protect its own’ said the legal advisor.

It is the first time that Israel has been charged with genocide before the highest UN court. South Africa filed the lawsuit citing the Genocide Convention, to which Israel is also a signatory. The military force was intended to deliberately destroy the lives of Palestinians, South Africa said.

The court, which must settle conflicts between states, will first hear an urgent request from South Africa that the judges order an end to the military operation. Israel has rejected this demand. This would deprive the country of its right to self-defense. A decision on this application is expected within a few weeks. (saw/sda/dpa)