Adila Hassim: An attorney representing South Africa in the International Court of Justice’s Gaza genocide case, delivered a damning indictment of Israel’s conduct in the besieged city on January 10.
The South African lawyer’s passionate speech before the 15-judge panel in the crowded courtroom received a lot of praise online.
Adila Hassim, a lawyer presenting South Africa’s Gaza genocide case at the ICJ, describes Israel’s ‘unparalleled and unprecedented killing’ of Palestinians. pic.twitter.com/OIrgVsWvgf
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 11, 2024
The government-selected eminent attorney fits the following description:
For decades, Hassim has been engaged in socio-economic rights issues. Constitutional, administrative, health, and competition law are among her preferred areas of practice.
Hassim has published numerous articles in the fields of law and health and has served as an acting judge. Additionally, she is a co-founder of Corruption Watch, an anti-corruption organization.
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Israel v. South Africa at the ICJ
South Africa, which is on a different continent from Gaza, accused Israel of genocide against the Palestinians and urged the UN’s highest court to stop its military operation on Thursday. Israel strongly denies the claims.
In the opening arguments, South African attorneys said the Gaza conflict is an extension of Israel’s decades-long oppression of Palestinians.
They requested that judges issue preliminary orders with legal force against Israel, which would require an immediate cessation of its military operation in Gaza.
Israel, South Africa insisted, deliberately perpetrated genocide.
“Israel has bombed Gaza for the past 96 days in a manner that has been compared to one of the most massive conventional bombing campaigns in the history of modern warfare,” South African attorney Adila Hassim told the judges and audience in the Peace Palace’s lavish chamber.
Hassim said the destruction of Palestinian towns and inadequate aid “render life-sustaining necessities unattainable.”
South African attorney Tembeka Ngcukaitobi claimed Israel’s Gaza actions were motivated by “genocidal intent” and a “clear pattern of conduct” that destroyed civilian infrastructure.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed over 23,200 Palestinians, according to Hamas’ Health Ministry.
Israeli identity as a Jewish state founded after the Nazis killed 6 million Jews during the Holocaust is deeply impacted by the disagreement.
Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank have been compared to apartheid, which confined most Africans to “homelands” until 1994, raising national identity issues in South Africa.
Gaza health crisis deepens for the chronically ill as war intensifies
