Netanyahu prepares legal missiles to intercept ICJ's Gaza war 'genocide' verdict

Israel will not go down that easy at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague that is reportedly readying to deliver verdict on Friday in South African allegations of genocide by Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza on Friday. According to reports in Israel media publications, Netanyahu has summoned Thursday his top legal luminaries, along with other officials, to prepare Israel’s response to the ICJ ruling. The reports referred to information disseminated by Army Radio. Israel’s top political and legal minds will meet at the Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv and thrash out the different scenarios that could arise in the wake of the ICJ ruling. South Africa, alleging genocide on the part of the Israeli forces, has moved ICJ for clamping an emergency injunction either to cease or restrict the war. The Times of Israel reported that participants could include Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, among others. The Israeli media outlet specified that it was yet not clear whether military officials would be called to the meet. A South African government delegation is in The Hague, expecting the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to hand down judgement on provisional measures sought in the genocide case against Israel on Friday. South Africa is expecting the 17-member ICJ Bench to deliver its ruling on provisional measures that include Israel to stop military action in Gaza while the case is being determined, a report by News24.com quoted sources close to the matter as saying. Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, South Africa approached the ICJ, accusing Israel of committing “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza. Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, called Israel’s top leadership “genocidal inciters” and said their intent is to destroy Gaza. South Africa also claims that Israel’s assault is “intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian .national, racial and ethnical group, that being the part of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip”. Israel in turn has dismissed the genocide claims and accused South Africa of acting as the “legal arm” of Hamas. Israel also argued that it has been exercising its fundamental right to self-defence under international law.