Middle East

Egypt joins South African case at ICJ accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza

Egypt’s foreign ministry said Israel carrying out ‘direct targeting of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure and pushing Palestinians to flee’

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on buildings near the separating wall between Egypt and Rafah, southern Gaza Strip (Ramez Habboub/AP)

Michael Jansen
Mon May 13 2024 - 15:56

Angered over Israel’s expanding Rafah offensive, Egypt has joined the South African case accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians under consideration by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Egypt’s foreign ministry said Israel was carrying out “direct targeting of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure in [Gaza] and pushing Palestinians to flee”.

Cairo has condemned Israel’s seizure of the Gaza border with Egypt and has refused to co-operate with Israel over the resumption of the flow of humanitarian aid from Egypt to Gaza. Cairo also resents Israeli rejection of an Egypt-mediated ceasefire and hostage/prisoner deal accepted by Hamas.

Egypt’s decision to join the South African case at the ICJ is a blow to Israel. In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel. As Egypt had the most powerful Arab army, the treaty destroyed the Arab politico-military front against Israel. According to the Arab saying, “The Arabs cannot make war with Israel without Egypt and peace without Syria”.

READ MORE

Following their 1967 defeat by Israel, the Arabs vowed “no peace with Israel, no negotiations with Israel, no relations with Israel”.

Egypt was denounced as a traitor and $1 billion a year in Gulf financial aid was cancelled. Arab trade with Egypt was halted, Arab ambassadors were withdrawn, Egypt was suspended from the Arab League and its headquarters was shifted from Cairo to Tunis.

By deciding to make a submission to the ICJ, Egypt has joined Jordan, the second Arab state to reach a peace treaty with Israel. Jordan signed that deal in 1994 after the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Israel concluded the 1993 Oslo accord. As provisions in the two treaties failed to bring about a Palestinian state, peace was not accepted by Egyptians and Jordanians. “Cold peace” has been the result.

The Gaza war has also impacted the United Arab Emirates, which normalised ties with Israel in 2020. Emirati foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed has denounced Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s suggestion that the Gulf state could oversee the postwar governance of Gaza.

In a post on the social media platform X, the minister said the Emirates refused to provide “cover for the Israeli presence in the [Gaza] strip” and would offer “all forms of support” when there was a competent, independent Palestinian government.

Arab commentators argue Israel’s war strategy is failing, saying that after its army left central and north Gaza, Hamas fighters returned and re-engaged Israeli troops. Former Palestinian foreign minister Nasser al-Kidwa, a nephew of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, told CNN Israel could not eradicate Hamas despite its loss of support among Gazans.

Mr Kidwa said Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas could not be involved in reforms to put an end to corruption and security collusion with Israel before taking over Gaza. Once Gaza had recovered, he said, there should be elections there and in the West Bank for a unified Palestinian government.

Michael Jansen

Michael Jansen

Michael Jansen contributes news from and analysis of the Middle East to The Irish Times

LATEST STORIES