FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga [email protected]
International Coalition Rallies Over 1000 Organizations Globally TO Sign On To Letter Urging International Support For South Africa
United States - As part of a newly formed international coalition, CODEPINK and partners issued a sign-on letter on January 3, 2024, urging international support for South Africa's genocide case against the State of Israel. Several international peace and human rights organizations, including CODEPINK, formed the International Coalition to Stop Genocide in Palestine (ICSGP) in the wake of the devasting genocide that is happening to Palestinians in Gaza.
The sign-on letter has garnered nearly organizational endorsements worldwide in less than one week. In addition to the initiating organizations, signing organizations represent broad social movements, including the World March of Women and the International People's Assembly, Palestinian-led and Palestinian solidarity movements such as the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions and the Palestinian NGO Network, as well as human rights and legal groups, unions, and religious organizations of all faiths.
"This is a pivotal moment in world history; South Africa's brilliantly compiled genocide case against the Israeli government isn't just an important legal document — it is the path to peace for the people and planet if a super-majority of global voices can't stop a genocide the future is bleak," said CODEPINK co-founder Jodie Evans.
The coalition letter urges all signing organizations to press their "governments to immediately file a Declaration of Intervention in support of the South African case against Israel at the International Court of Justice to stop the killing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories." So far, Malaysia Turkiye and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, representing 57 member countries on four continents, have publicly supported South Africa's case. Jordan reports that it intends to take the more legally substantive step of submitting a Declaration of Intervention. Members of ICGSP are working closely with several other countries that are in the process of doing the same.
The sign-on letter states:
"Many countries have rightly expressed their horror at the State of Israel's genocidal actions, war crimes, and crimes against humanity being committed against Palestinians. Israeli Occupying Forces have bombed hospitals, residences, United Nations refugee centers, schools, places of worship, and escape routes, killing and injuring tens of thousands of Palestinians since October 7, 2023. More than half of the dead are women and children. Israeli leaders have made brazenly genocidal statements openly declaring their intention to permanently and completely displace Palestinians from their land."
Despite the clear evidence of genocidal actions being committed daily by Israeli Occupying Forces, the State of Israel is actively soliciting nations to deny its atrocities and denounce South Africa's case. At this moment, the United States, a significant backer of the Israeli State that has vetoed three resolutions calling for a ceasefire in the United Nations Security Council, stands alone in denying that Israel is committing genocide.
In addition to this international campaign, CODEPINK is also running a national petition and letter-writing campaign urging countries to sign a "Declaration of Intervention" joining South Africa in invoking the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice, holding Israel accountable for the crime of genocide in Gaza. The petition has over 31,000 signatures and nearly 300,000 letters sent to sympathetic countries. On Thursday, the campaign visited embassies, missions, and consulates of almost 30 countries in 14 major cities nationwide. Deliveries continue this week ahead of the ICJ hearing date.The International Court of Justice, also called the World Court, will hear South Africa's case against the Israeli State on January 11 and 12, 2024. The ICSGP calls on endorsing organizations to join actions of support at The Hague during the hearing and to hold local rallies and vigils, including expressions of gratitude and solidarity at South African embassies, this week.
Details about the hearing and where to watch it are here: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240103-pre-01-00-en.pdf
The full text of the letter and an updated list of signers can be found here: https://bit.ly/Genocide_Convention_Letter
###
