US government downplays genocide claim as South Africa drags Israel to ICJ

The United States has downplayed South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. The Joe Biden-led government says Israel has committed genocide despite the thousands of people killed in the attacks on Gaza…

The US government has rejected South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the raging Israeli bombardments of Gaza.

South Africa earlier dragged Israel to the World Court as it accused Tel Aviv of committing “genocidal” acts in Gaza in the case filed at the ICJ last week.

While reacting to the case filed by South Africa, US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday that the United States “is not seeing any acts that constitute genocide,” despite thousands of civilians killed.

“But there are military operations going on that put Palestinian people at risk,” Mr Miller added.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also said on Wednesday that the US considers the case “meritless, counterproductive and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever”.

Israel had rejected South Africa’s genocide allegation, calling it “baseless” and “blood libel”.

While the United States backs Israel with military assistance, South Africa has also been relentless in its support for Palestinian.

The ruling African National Congress, the ANC, likened what Palestine is facing to their struggle against apartheid, where a white minority ruled over a black majority.

The President Cyril Ramaphosa-led government also announced the withdrawal of its diplomats from Israel, stressing that the position of Israel’s ambassador to Pretoria was “untenable.”.