Over 800 Organizations Globally Sign On To Letter Urging International Support For South Africa’s Genocide Case Against the State of Israel

9 January 2024

New Coalition Calls for Global Mobilization As Hearing Before the World Court Begins on January 11

CONTACTS:

Anan Quzmar, Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate - Palestine, 0599208085, quzmar@gmail.com

Adrienne Pine, Popular Resistance, 202-652-5601, adrienne@quotha.net

Lamis Deek, Palestine Assembly for Liberation, 212-226-3999, Deek@DeekDictorAdi.com

Genie Silver, WILPF US, 610-283-1376, rhsilver@comcast.net

United States - The newly-formed International Coalition to Stop Genocide in Palestine (ICSGP) issued a sign-on letter* on January 3, 2024 that garnered over 800 organisational endorsements from around the world in less than one week. In addition to the initiating organisations noted here, signing organisations represent broad social movements, including World March of Women and the International People’s Assembly, Palestinian-led and Palestinian solidarity movements such as Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions and the Palestinian NGONetwork, as well as human rights and legal groups, unions, and religious organisations of all faiths.

“It is important for La Via Campesina to support the South African initiative. What is happening in Palestine is an atrocity. In particular, the use of starvation as a weapon of war is part of a strategy of genocide that we need to denounce. The expulsion of farmers and land grabs in Gaza as well as the West Bank, is also part of a strategy of ethnic cleansing,” said Morgan Ody of the Confédération paysanne (France) and General Coordinator of La Vía Campesina International. “La Via Campesina calls upon the governments of the world, and in particular progressive governments and those in the Global South, to do everything in their power to stop Israel’s apartheid and colonisation. Those governments have the responsibility to coordinate their efforts in order to ensure a future for Palestine and for all Palestinian people, and to make sure that those responsible for Israel’s crimes against humanity are held accountable.”

The coalition letter urges all signing organisations to press their “governments to immediately file a Declaration of Intervention in support of the South African case against Israel at the International Court of Justice to stop the killing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” So far, Malaysia and Turkiye, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which represents 57 member countries on four continents, have publicly supported South Africa’s case. Jordan reports that it intends to take the more legally substantive step of submitting a Declaration of Intervention. Members of ICGSP are working closely with a number of other countries that are in the process of doing the same.

“The South African filing before the ICJ marks a critical juncture which tests the global will to salvage the laws and systems which were designed to safeguard not merely human rights; but to preserve humanity itself,” emphasises Lamis Deek, co-founder of The Global Legal Alliance for Palestine and the PAL Commission on War Crimes. “Genocide is the highest crime and none has been so publicly documented as the Israeli Genocide in Palestine. The sincerity of states' commitment to the principles of the Geneva and Genocide Conventions is now under heavy scrutiny. The very least states can do is to submit Declarations of Intervention as a small part of fulfilling their obligations under Article 1 of the Genocide Convention, to assure their people—and humanity—that they have lost neither their moral compass nor abdicated their obligations under international law.

The sign-on letter states:

“Many countries have rightly expressed their horror at the State of Israel's genocidal actions, war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed against Palestinians. Israeli Occupying Forces have bombed hospitals, residences, United Nations refugee centres, schools, places of worship and escape routes, killing and injuring tens of thousands of Palestinians since October 7, 2023. More than half of the dead are women and children. Israeli leaders have made brazenly genocidal statements openly declaring their intention to permanently and completely displace Palestinians from their own land.”

Despite the clear evidence of genocidal actions being committed daily by Israeli Occupying Forces, the State of Israel is actively soliciting nations to deny its atrocities and denounce South Africa’s case. At this moment, the United States, a major backer of the Israeli State that has vetoed three resolutions calling for a ceasefire in the United Nations Security Council, stands alone in denying that Israel is committing genocide.

Edith Ballantyne, former Secretary General and International President of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, warns, “I write from my personal experience over ten decades, spanning two world wars and living through fascism, with the absolute conviction that the basis of the conflict must be solved in a legal, political and non-violent way as the only means to achieve permanent peace desperately needed by the world’s peoples and for the survival of our planet.” She adds, “Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom was involved in the Middle East conflict since the 1920s when it recognized that what was happening in Palestine was destined to be catastrophic. The genocidal war the government of Israel is waging in the Occupied Palestinian Territories against the Palestinian People must be stopped. I urge all to challenge their governments to live up to the principles of the UN Charter and international law, including human rights and humanitarian law.”

The International Court of Justice, also called the World Court, will hear South Africa’s case against the Israeli State on January 11 and 12, 2024. The ICSGP is calling on endorsing organisations to join actions of support at The Hague during the hearing and to hold local rallies and vigils, including expressions of gratitude and solidarity at South African embassies, this week. Details about the hearing and where to watch it are here:

https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240103-pre-01-00-en.pdf

*The full text of the letter and an updated list of signers can be found here:

https://bit.ly/Genocide_Convention_Letter

Endorsements from organisations in Palestine:

A.M. Qattan Foundation

Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association

Agricultural Engineers Association

Alrowwad cultural and arts society, Palestine

Arab World Democracy and Electoral Monitor (Al Marsad)

Association of Women’s Action

Birzeit University

Coalition for Accountability and Integrity - AMAN

Community Action Center, Al-Quds University

Engineers Association

Filastiniyat

Medical Association

Mother's School Society

Movement for Freedom and Democracy in Palestine

Palestine Institute for National Security Research

Palestinian Bar Association

Palestinian Contractors Union

Palestinian Dental Association

Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate

Palestinian NGO Network, PNGO

Palestinian Nursery and Midwifery Association

Palestinian People's Party

Palestinian Union of Psychologists and Social Workers

Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development PWWSD

Pharmacists Association

Rawa Creative Palestinian Communities Fund
Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center

Shaikh Hasan Foundation for Culture & Science

Tamer Institute for Community Education

The Civil Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law "ISTIQLAL"

The General Union of Cultural Centers (GUCC)

The Independent Commission for Human Rights

The Palestinian Federation of Women's Action Committee

The Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, PGFTU

The Palestinian Museum

Veterinarians Syndicate

Women's coalition for justice and equality / ERADA

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom WILPF, Palestine Section

Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counselling

Women’s Studies Centre

Youth Advisory Panel

Youth Development Association