Israel lobbies US Congress to get ICJ genocide case dropped – report

Israel is actively lobbying members of the US Congress to exert pressure on South Africa to withdraw its case against Israel from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), according to recent reports from Axios and Israeli media Walla.

Israel's foreign ministry has dispatched a classified cable instructing its diplomats in the US to engage with South African diplomats and US lawmakers, the reports say.

The document reportedly urges these US officials to emphasise that South Africa's continued pursuit of the genocide case could have severe repercussions, including potential trade sanctions.

"We are asking you to immediately work with lawmakers on the federal and state level, with governors and Jewish organisations to put pressure on South Africa to change its policy towards Israel and to make clear that continuing their current actions like supporting Hamas and pushing anti-Israeli moves in international courts will come with a heavy price," read the cable from Israel's foreign ministry to its embassy and consulates in the US.

Walla quoted Israeli officials as saying that they hoped the new government in South Africa that took office in May would take a different approach to Israel and the war on Gaza.

ICJ case

South Africa has until October 28 to present to the ICJ its reasons for continuing the case against Israel over its alleged violations of the Genocide Convention during the war on Gaza.

South Africa initiated the genocide case against Israel at the ICJ last December, accusing Tel Aviv of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention in its ongoing war on Gaza.

The Israeli military has killed at least 41,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza.

An ongoing blockade of the Palestinian enclave has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Türkiye and 12 other countries have joined South Africa’s case at the ICJ.