John AdoyiIn a fiery address at the World Economic Forum holding at Davos, Switzerland, Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog denounced South Africa’s accusations of genocide.
He instead, accused the southern African nation of supporting the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israelis on October 7 2023 by dragging Israel to the International Court of Justice.
South Africa officially accused Israel of genocide on January 11, submitting a formal complaint to ICJ and urging the United Nations to intervene in what they described as decades of Israeli oppression against Palestinians, particularly in Gaza.
President Herzog, who addressed the global audience in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, at the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) expressed outrage at South Africa’s claims. “South Africa is outrageous in its behavior; its attacks on Israel are outrageous,” he asserted.
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“They basically support the atrocities and barbarism that we have seen on October 7th. They are supporting the sexual, gender-based violence that we have seen… they are supporting the barbaric, sadistic attacks on innocent civilians… and it is a game of hypocrisy,” Herzog added.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been a longstanding source of tension and violence, and South Africa’s decision to escalate the matter to the ICJ has further intensified global scrutiny, with many world leaders, calling for Israel to halt its invasion.
Dismissing South Africa’s accusations as an attempt to manipulate international opinion, Israel vehemently defended its actions, framing them as a necessary response to an enemy responsible for the deadliest attack on Israeli territory since its establishment in 1948.
Israel, maintaining its stance on adherence to international law, insists that its military operations in Gaza which has claimed over 20 thousand lives, are conducted with the utmost consideration for civilian safety. Leaders emphasize that they are engaged in a legitimate defense against a formidable adversary.
Fighting has ravaged Gaza since Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel that resulted in the death of about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, based on official Israeli figures.
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At least 24,448 Palestinians, about 70 percent of them women, young children and adolescents, have been killed in Israeli bombardments and ground assaults, according to the Gaza health ministry’s latest figures.
