Biden administration pushes back on South Africa’s genocide charges against Israel in The Hague.
By World Israel News Staff
The Biden administration criticized the South African government’s petition to the International Court of Justice Thursday, denouncing its accusations against Israel of genocide as being unfounded.
On Thursday, the court, which sits in The Hague, held its first hearings on the petition, with a 17-judge panel listening to claims made by a delegation from South Africa.
Later on Thursday, State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel and White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby both rejected South Africa’s claims, calling them “unfounded.”
“We have said repeatedly that we believe these allegations, this case is unfounded and that there is no basis for accusations of genocide against Israel,” Kirby told reporters at a press briefing.
“That’s not a word that ought to be thrown around lightly. And we certainly don’t believe that it applies here.”
State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters that “the allegations that Israel is committing genocide are unfounded.”
“Those who are violently attacking Israel, who continue to openly call for Israel’s annihilation and the mass murder of Jews, genocide is one of the most heinous acts any entity or individual can commit, and such an allegation should only be made with the greatest of care.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry also responded Thursday to the hearing, calling South Africa’s claims “baseless lies,” and accusing Pretoria of serving as an “arm of Hamas.”