Spain has become the first European country to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Ireland and Belgium have also said they will declare an intervention on behalf of South Africa’s case, as well as Chile, Egypt, Turkey, and the Maldives. A number of other countries have already filed their contribution: Mexico, Nicaragua, Columbia, Libya, and Palestine.
Israel: “A real genocide”
In late May, Spain’s defence minister Margarita Robles said “we cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza, which is a real genocide”.
Now Spain has submitted its contribution to the ICJ. Within, Spain highlights the incitement to genocide from Israeli authority figures:
Spain recalls that on 28 December 2023, a group of former senior members of Israel’s diplomatic corps, academics, journalists, former members of Knesset and social activists addressed a letter to Israel’s Attorney General and other judicial authorities
In that letter, the Israelis say Israel’s judiciary is ignoring “extensive and blatant incitement to genocide, expulsion, and ethnic cleansing in Gaza by public figures”. They write “the explicit calls to commit atrocious crimes, as stated, against millions of civilians have turned into a legitimate and regular part of Israeli discourse”.
The letter references numerous of these incitement statements, including one from Israeli MP Yitzhak Kroizer. He said “the Gaza Strip should be flattened, and for all of them there is but one sentence, and that is death”.
“They will not receive a drop of water”
Spain also referred to Israel cutting off water, electricity and fuel from Palestinians in Gaza. It stated ways Israel has met the requirement for genocide, “the intention to destroy a group, in whole or in part”, in this respect. Spain pointed to statements such as one from the then minister of energy and infrastructure of Israel, Israel Katz. He said:
The line has been crossed . We will fight the terrorist organisation Hamas and destroy it. All the civilian population in Gaza is ordered to leave immediately. We will win. They will not receive a drop of water or a single battery until they leave the world.
In its declaration, Spain affirmed that Israel isn’t just required not to commit genocide. It’s also required to prevent its military from carrying it out.
Spain formally recognised Palestine in May. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez said if more countries recognise Palestine that will add international pressure for a peace deal in Gaza.
We must consign genocides to the dustbin of history.
Featured image via Guardian News – YouTube
