Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the decision of the International Court of Justice to accept consideration of South Africa’s lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide, but he pledged to continue the war on Gaza, noting that the court did not order a ceasefire.
Netanyahu said – in a televised statement commenting on the court’s decision issued today, Friday – that “Israel has the basic right to defend itself. The court in The Hague rejected the trivial request to deprive us of this right,” referring to the court’s failure to respond to South Africa’s request to issue an order to stop… shooting.
But the Israeli Prime Minister expressed his anger at the court’s decision to reject Israel’s request to drop the case, as the judges said that South Africa has the right to file this case.
Netanyahu said, “The mere allegation that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians is not only false, but it is heinous. The court’s willingness to discuss this matter constitutes a stain that will not be erased for many generations.”
At the same time, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that Netanyahu asked his ministers not to comment on the court’s decision, but some of them made statements attacking the court.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, was quick to accuse the court of being “anti-Semitic.”
He said in a statement that the court’s decision “proves what was previously known that the court does not seek justice.”
He continued, “We should not listen to decisions that threaten the continued existence of the State of Israel. We must continue to defeat the enemy until complete victory.”
Likewise, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism Party, commented, saying, “The judges of The Hague, who are concerned about the residents of Gaza, should invite countries to receive them and help rebuild Gaza.”
In the same context, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said – in a blog post on X – that Israel does not need “morality lectures” from the International Court of Justice in order to discriminate against civilians in the Gaza Strip.
He stressed that the court went beyond merely lecturing when it approved South Africa’s lawsuit, which he described as “anti-Semitic,” and which discusses “allegations” of genocide, as he put it. He stressed the continuation of the war in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice ruled today that conditions exist to impose temporary measures on Israel to prevent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and to provide immediate humanitarian needs, but it did not issue a ceasefire order.
