Israel, which has been accused of meting out collective punishment on Palestinians, has rejected the case at the UN court. The ICJ, also called the World Court, is a UN civil court that adjudicates disputes between countries. As members of the UN, both South Africa and Israel are bound by the court. The Palestinian group has said its attack was against Israel’s 16-year-old blockade of Gaza and expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Settlement expansions pose the biggest hurdle in the realisation of a future Palestinian state comprising Gaza, occupied West Banka and East Jerusalem.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 30, 2023 03:00 UTC