Netanyahu called ICJ’s willingness to consider genocide case against Israel ‘a mark of disgrace’

The ICJ didn’t demand a ceasefire but did ask Israel to take provisional measures to prevent killing of Gazans.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Reacting to the decision from the ICJ not to demand a ceasefire from Israel yet to provide guidelines to avoid genocide against Gazans, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the fact that the court was willing to discuss the matter at all was a “mark of disgrace.”

Speaking on Friday when the decision was announced, Netanyahu said, “Like every country, Israel has the basic right to self-defense. The Hague Tribunal rightly rejected the outrageous demand to deprive us of this right.”

Netanyahu said, “The very claim that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians is not just false, it is outrageous.

He added, “The court’s willingness to discuss this at all is a mark of disgrace that will not be erased for generations.”

The International Court of Justice in the Hague, responding to South Africa’s allegation that Israel is committing genocide in its war against Hamas and demand for a ceasefire, declined to validate the genocide claim entirely or accede to demands for a ceasefire but instead insisted Israel take provisional measures to prevent genocide against Gazans.

These provisions include taking concrete steps to avoid killing or harming Gazan civilians and to refrain from measures designed to completely or partially destroy Gaza’s population as well as avoiding conditions intended to prevent births among civilians in Gaza.

“We are fighting a just war, and we will continue it until complete victory — until we defeat Hamas, return all our abductees and ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel,” Netanyahu declared.

Netanyahu then issued a separate English statement, during which he said, “Israel’s commitment to international law is unwavering” and he emphasized that Israel’s war is “against terrorists, not Palestinian civilians.”

He added that the Israeli government would, “continue to facilitate humanitarian assistance, and to do our utmost to keep civilians out of harm’s way.”

“On the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I again pledge as prime minister of Israel — Never Again,” he added, promising to “continue to do what is necessary to defend our country and defend our people.”

Netanyahu held up a copy of Adolf Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf” in Arabic and said, “This book was found by our soldiers in the homes of civilians in the Gaza Strip.”

He added, “They found extensive antisemitic and Nazi literature there. This is how they educate their children.”