Accused of committing genocide against Palestinians, Israel planned to defend its war in Gaza in front of the United Nations' highest court Friday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the allegations as hypocrisy that “screams to the heavens.” Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has vehemently denied the accusations brought by South Africa in one of the biggest cases ever to come before an international court. Israel often boycotts international tribunals and U.N. investigations, saying they are unfair and biased.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to meet Israeli leaders on Tuesday in his quest to prevent the Gaza conflict from growing into a regional conflagration as the Israeli military said its fight against Hamas will rage all year. Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv late Monday to brief Israeli officials on his two days of talks with Arab leaders on ending the war triggered by Hamas militants' attack on Israel that by Israeli tallies killed about 1,200 people on Oct 7.
EU leaders failed to sharpen their stance on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza during talks on Friday, despite Belgium and Ireland's leaders advocating for a ceasefire.