South Africa's case of genocide at ICJ panicked Israel internally, globally

Israel is currently in a state of panic after South Africa's genocide trial against Israel began at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which should not be confused with the International Criminal Court (ICC), a Turkish academic and practising lawyer said, clearing up any confusion about the trial against Tel Aviv.

Zeki Ariturk, an advocate and researcher at Istanbul Rumeli University, noted that the ICC-founded treaty called the Rome Statute, which is the judicial body of the UN, may exercise jurisdiction in a situation where genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes were committed on or after July 1, 2002, and the crimes were committed by a State Party national, or in the territory of a State Party.

Ariturk said such a case against Tel Aviv was previously initiated after Israel launched an attack on Gaza on Dec. 27, 2008, under the name "Operation Cast Lead," and evidence of the crimes committed was presented until Oct. 7, 2022, but no progress was made.

Even though all evidence of crimes in Gaza was presented, the ICC was unable to move forward due to Israel's lobbying, he lamented, adding, "Until now, no international law court has witnessed the trial of even an Israeli private, let alone the State of Israel."

"They could not be tried anywhere," Ariturk believed while blaming some international players who supported Israel on Tel Aviv's lobbies and connections, allowing the country to "get away with everything" it has done in the past.

"No progress has been made in the situation that has been going on at the ICC since 2009," said the academic.

However, this time, the ICJ has taken prompt action and set a hearing date, and "the importance of this case is that the state of Israel is being tried," Ariturk said.

'Paper tiger' state

"At the ICJ, Israel has begun to account for the cruelty it has committed for over 70 years, the people it has massacred, and the innocent children", Ariturk said, adding, "Israel is currently in a state of panic, both internally and externally. It did not expect this.”

Ariturk said it has become clear to the world public opinion that Israel is a "paper tiger, a state that had lost its meaning and that has a cruel nature."

Legal sanctions by states

Noting that the ICJ ruling is binding and that this decision will be sent to the UN Security Council, Ariturk said if one of the five permanent members (US, Russia, China, France, and England) vetoes this verdict, it will be invalid. However, when it reaches the UN General Assembly, states will be required to impose legal sanctions on Israel.

Therefore, the ICJ decision is so important that, according to leaked White House information, the US would abstain from voting in that case rather than reject it, bringing the decision to an acceptable point for Washington.

He said the "Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide" imposes on states the following obligation: "Although there will be no military intervention, states may close their ports to Israel and stop trade."

"The states have the authority to prevent Israeli citizens from entering their respective countries. They have the right to halt the flow of international funds. They can impose numerous sanctions like this, and as a result, Israel will become isolated in the world. Suddenly, its banking-based economy will be disrupted, reducing Israel's chances of survival," he said.