NEW YORK — Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress, issued the following statement in response to the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) decision to grant provisional measures in the case brought against Israel by South Africa regarding the Israel-Hamas war:
“Today marks a dark day in the pursuit of justice as we express our deep disappointment and lament the decision of the International Court of Justice to grant provisional measures in response to South Africa’s false allegation that Israel is carrying out acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. We stress our certainty that, on the merits, the court will find that Israel is not violating the Genocide Convention in its final ruling.
“We applaud Israel’s steadfast commitment to follow the laws of war and protect the civilians of Gaza. This is in stark contrast to Hamas, a terrorist organization, who has consistently shown little to no concern for the well-being of the Palestinians in Gaza.
“South Africa's misuse of the International Court of Justice for political gains against Israel is not only a victory for terrorists but also deals a significant blow to law-abiding nations exercising their inherent right to self-defense.
“We call on South Africa and other countries to change course and redirect their focus to advocate for the unconditional release of hostages and hold Hamas accountable for its heinous crimes on and since October 7th.
“The World Jewish Congress reaffirms our solidarity with the South African Jewish community. Now, more than ever, it is imperative to guarantee their sense of security and belonging in South Africa.”
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