THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – The International Court of Justice in the Hague (ICJ) opened Thursday morning its deliberations on the complaint submitted on Dec. 29 by South Africa, accusing Israel of genocide. Exceptionally, one hundred journalists were allowed into the building, with dozens of TV crews covering the two opposing demonstrations gathered in front of the court well before the hearing started and despite the very cold weather in the Dutch capital.
Security has been beefed up across the city since Wednesday, especially in front of the ICJ, where hundreds of police officers on foot, vehicles, and horses are keeping apart the two opposing demonstrations.
Hundreds of people are marching in the Hague in support of Israel, with family members of hostages held in Gaza leading the rally. Director of the Digital Diplomacy Bureau at the Israeli Foreign Ministry David Saranga, who is also marching, told The Jerusalem Post that buses from across Holland brought earlier this morning to the Hague the demonstrators, who are carrying pictures of the kidnapped and also of Israelis murdered on Oct. 7. The march was organized by the Christian for Israel and Christians in Defense of Israel groups, alongside local and European Jewish organizations.
An anti-Israel demonstration is gathered across the street from the Israelis. Demonstrators are carrying signs such as ‘’banal evil,’’ or ‘’stop the killing in Gaza,’’ and waving the Palestinian flag.
The State of Israel is facing accusations at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, blaming it for genocide against Palestinians in its Gaza offensive. The hearings will take place on Thursday and Friday.
South Africa and Israel exchanged allegations on the eve of hearings at the top UN court, which will hear South Africa’s claims. The politically charged hearings will deal exclusively with South Africa’s request for emergency measures ordering Israel to suspend its military actions in Gaza while the court hears the merits of the case – a process that could take years.
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