Prime Minster Justin Trudeau speaks at a fundraising event in Vancouver on Thursday, December 14, 2023. Trudeau says Canada does not support the premise of South Africa's case at the United Nations' top court that accuses Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada supports the International Court of Justice but that doesn’t mean Canada supports the premise of South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.
On Thursday, South Africa launched a case at the top United Nations court arguing Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and its siege on the Palestinians who live there “are genocidal in character.”
Trudeau says more details on Canada’s position will come today.
Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has vehemently denied the allegations, and took the rare step of engaging with the court to defend their international reputation.
South Africa also asked the international court to order Israel to halt its attacks, which began after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took about 240 people hostage on Oct. 7.
Israel responded with airstrikes and by restricting access to crucial supplies in the Hamas-controlled territory, where local authorities say more than 23,200 Palestinians have been killed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2024.
– With files from The Associated Press
