Ahead of ICJ hearing, US slams ‘unfounded’ genocide claims against Israel

The Biden administration reiterates its opposition to the International Court of Justice hearing at which Israel is charged with genocide, on the eve of The Hague proceeding requested by South Africa.

“Allegations that Israel is committing genocide are unfounded. In fact, it is those who are violently attacking Israel who continue to openly call for the annihilation of Israel and the mass murder of Jews,” US State Department spokesman Matt Miller says in a statement.

“Genocide is one of the most heinous acts any entity or individual can commit, and such allegations should only be made with the greatest of care,” he adds.

“Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas’ terrorist acts — acts that Hamas has vowed to repeat again and again until Israel is completely destroyed. Israel is operating in an exceptionally challenging environment in Gaza, an urban battlespace where Hamas intentionally embeds itself with and hides behind civilians,” he continues.

While reiterating his condemnation of Hamas’s October 7 terror onslaught, Miller says the US still expects that Israel “comply with international humanitarian law in its operations against Hamas.”

He also highlights the feeling in Washington that the IDF has not done enough thus far to protect civilians, calling on the Israel “look for more ways to prevent civilian harm and to investigate credible allegations of violations of international humanitarian law when they arise.”

Miller also appears to reference US displeasure with calls from Israeli lawmakers for collective punishment and for mass displacement of Palestinians, which helped build South Africa’s case against Israel. “We continue to condemn dehumanizing rhetoric on all sides,” the State Department spokesman says.