Is There any Merit to the Case? A Commentary on the South Africa vs. Israel Dispute About Genocide at the International Court of Justice

A Commentary on the South Africa vs. Israel Dispute About Genocide at the International Court of Justice

On 11 and 12 January, the International Court of Justice opened the hearing in regards to South Africa’s launching a dispute against Israel for alleged violations of the UN genocide convention in connection with the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Two weeks later, the ICJ issued a set of provisional measures in anticipation of a final verdict that might last several years.

During the talk, Tomislav Dulić will provide an overview of relevant legislation, South Africa’s application, Israeli arguments, and ICJ’s decision on provisional measures. The presentation will then turn to the main arguments that will likely be discussed once the hearing on the merits of the case takes place at the ICJ. Arguments will be weighed against international legislation but also against the body of case law that has become available through the work of institutions such as the ICJ itself, the International Criminal Court and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). 

The lecture is part of the Hugo Valentin Centre “Current Issues” series, which aims at highlighting debates and discussions where the HVC scholars can contribute with their expertise.

Tomislav Dulić is a professor in Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the Hugo Valentin Centre, which is a unit at the Department of History, Uppsala University.