Israel “is being accused of genocide at a time when it is fighting against genocide,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Thursday, according to AFP. South Africa has accused Israel of genocide during its war against Hamas Palestinians in Gaza.

“A terrorist organization has committed the worst crime against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, and now someone has come to defend it in the name of the Holocaust. What an idiot!” Netanyahu responded in a statement.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague on Thursday heard the prosecution of South Africa, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and of the lack of punishment for those guilty of inciting the genocide.

Prosecutors cited statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and Israeli ministers as evidence of genocidal intent. Israel is to defend itself against the charges on Friday, Haaretz and AFP reported.

Israel is in violation of its obligations under the UN Genocide Convention, signed in 1949 after the Holocaust, and the October 7 attack by Hamas cannot justify violating that convention, South Africa charged at the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday. of the highest jurisdiction of the UN, reports AFP.

A preliminary hearing this week will consider whether the court should order Israel to cease hostilities while it fully investigates the merits of the case.

Lawyers in Pretoria took their case to the UN’s top court, asking its judges to urgently order Israel to “immediately suspend its military operations” in the Gaza Strip.

South Africa said on Thursday that Israel is subjecting the Palestinian people to acts of apartheid and genocide as it opened a hearing against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

South Africa cited a statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said “remember what Amalek will do” (a reference to the one who persecuted the Israelites in the Bible) and said Israeli soldiers showed they got the message.

South Africa says it is clear the prime minister’s reference to Amalek is being used by soldiers to justify killing civilians and carry out Netanyahu’s order.

On Friday, Israel must speak before the judges of the International Court of Justice.