Israel is lobbying members of Congress to press South Africa to drop its legal proceedings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the war in Gaza, according to an Israeli foreign ministry cable obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: South Africa has until Oct. 28 to give the top UN court its arguments for continuing the case against Israel over alleged violations of the Genocide Convention during the war in Gaza.

  • Israeli officials say they want members of Congress to make clear to South Africa that there will be consequences for continuing to pursue the case.

Behind the scenes: Israeli officials said the Israeli foreign ministry started a diplomatic campaign in recent weeks to press South Africa not to push forward with the case at the ICJ. The U.S. congress is a main tool in the effort.

  • On Monday, the Israeli foreign ministry sent a classified cable to the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC and to all Israeli consulates in the U.S. about South Africa’s ICJ case.

  • “We are asking you to immediately work with lawmakers on the federal and state level, with governors and Jewish organizations to put pressure on South Africa to change its policy towards Israel and to make clear that continuing their current actions like supporting Hamas and pushing anti-Israeli moves in international courts will come with a heavy price,” the cable read.

  • RangerJosie@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    This is just indescribably disgusting. Because we all know those US politicians will do it. They’ll threaten anything they can to placate a genocidal apartheid state.

    Fortunately given the relevant history of South Africa, it’s highly unlikely to be effective.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      They’ll threaten anything they can to placate a genocidal apartheid state.

      Hey now, not just any genocidal apartheid state. They’re not doing this shit for China or Iran or Russia.

      Israel isn’t just a bunch of evil fucks. They’re the gun pointed at the head of the Egyptian government, for the purpose of controlling the Suez Canal. They’re the knife at the neck of Jordan and Lebanon and Kuwait, guaranteeing cheap oil continues to flow into the American economy. They’re a field testing ground for the next generation of brutal police and paramilitary tactics and weapons. The crowd disbursement weapons and surveillance tracking tools and social media misinformation campaigns used to break up knots of Palestinian resistance, hunt down dissidents for capture and killing, and to turn Arabs against one another today will be the same ones unleashed at the next OWS or Ferguson protest or Trucker Rally tomorrow.

      And then there’s the sheer volume of money laundering. Now that Switzerland and the Bahamas and Panama have all been staked out, Israel is such a great place to move your money whether you’re an international arms dealer or you’re just looking to hide cash from the IRS.

      Israel serves so many different geopolitical interests for wealthy western plutocrats. What’s a little ethnic cleansing in exchange for all of that?

      • queermunist she/her@lemmy.ml
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        4 months ago

        In addition to everything you said they’re the cork on land migration out of Africa and into Asia, and eventually, Europe. They’re also the control lever for keeping OPEC under control.

        If Israel didn’t exist they’d have to create one to serve US interests in the region. Our own unsinkable aircraft carrier to help rule that region of the world.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          If Israel didn’t exist they’d have to create one to serve US interests in the region.

          Real Biden heads know this

    • FriendBesto@lemmy.ml
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      4 months ago

      Although correct, an also pressing question is ‘why’ they do it? And why most people do not care, or are not aware of this type of thing that has been going for decades?

    • assassinatedbyCIA@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Surely ‘the most moral army™️’ would have no problem demonstrating their innocence right. Let’s have a little look at some of the moral things they’ve been doing as of yet.

      Hmmmmm… killing unarmed protesters. Raping prisoners?!?!?!

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
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    4 months ago

    Shut up, genociders. Someone who cleaned up their act is talking. They’re the recently sober friend while you’re still a junkie stealing money from people who let you crash on the sofa.

  • Akasazh@feddit.nl
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    4 months ago

    So they do care.

    Not enough not to do the actual genociding, but at least we know they care.

    So time for more countries to support the lawsuit

  • Taalnazi@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    They can drop it once Israel treats its far right majority government like they treated the Palestinians, and once all Palestinians can return to their country, get treated as full citizens in every aspect, and the settlers are removed from the stolen land.

    Israel and Palestine can live in harmony. The country standing in the way is the Israeli government.