WASHINGTON — U.S. Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib in a joint statement issued Thursday that voices support for South Africa’s current case against Israel before the International Court of Justice.
In arguments before the United Nations’ top court Thursday, South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians and pleaded with the United Nations’ top court on Thursday to urgently order a halt to the country’s military operation.
Israel has vehemently denied the allegations.
Bush, a two-term Democrat representing Ƶ, and Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat and the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress, said in a joint statement:
“We unequivocally join world leaders and international human rights organizations in support of South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice alleging Israel violated the Genocide Convention. There must be an end to the violence — and there must be accountability for the blatant human rights abuses and mass atrocities occurring in the region. The historical significance of a post-apartheid state filing this case must not be lost, and the moral weight of their prerogative cannot be dismissed.
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“The United States has a devastating role in the ongoing violence in Gaza, where already over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than 59,000 injured, and millions have been displaced. We must refuse to be silent as the majority of the world is calling for an end to the violence and mass human suffering, and the need for accountability.
“As one of the countries that has agreed to the Genocide Convention, the U.S. must stop trying to discredit and undermine this case and the international legal system it claims to support. Our commitment to protecting the human rights of all people must be unconditional. The best time to make a conclusive determination on genocide is when there is still time to stop it, not after. We will continue pushing for a lasting ceasefire, full accountability, and a just and lasting peace for everyone.”
Bush’s support for Palestinian self-determination and early calls for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war has drawn condemnation from some pro-Israeli groups and was cited as a factor in Ƶ County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell’s decision to challenge her in the August Democratic primary.
Tlaib was censured by the U.S. House of Representatives in November after accusing President Joe Biden of supporting the genocide of the Palestinian people.