Cuba Supports South Africa’s Claim before the International Court of Justice against Israel’s Genocide in Palestine
Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 11, 2024
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates its deep concern at the continuing escalation of violence by Israel in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories, in flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, including numerous UN resolutions.
The Ministry strongly condemns, once again, the killing of civilians, especially women, children and humanitarian workers of the United Nations system, as well as the indiscriminate shelling of the Palestinian civilian population and the destruction of homes, hospitals and civilian infrastructure.
Israel continues to act with impunity because it enjoys the complicit protection of the United States, which repeatedly obstructs and vetoes Security Council action, undermining peace, security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide.
The Republic of Cuba has been a State Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide since 1953 and, in accordance with the commitments undertaken therein, has the obligation to prevent and punish genocide.
In this regard, expresses its support for the claim of the Republic of South Africa to initiate proceedings against Israel in the International Court of Justice, in connection with the violations by that country of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
This proceeding before the main justice organ of the United Nations should be understood and heeded as an urgent call to stop the hideous international crimes of genocide, against humanity and apartheid being perpetrated against the Palestinian people.
Despite repeated calls for peace in the illegally occupied territories, for the past 75 years a crime of genocide has been clearly being perpetrated and is now taking on extreme proportions and requires the joint action of the peoples and governments of the world to immediately halt the indiscriminate extermination of girls, boys, women and the civilian population in general.
Havana, January 11, 2024