President Isaac Herzog of Israel has condemned the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding allegations of genocide against Palestinians as a form of “blood libel.” Speaking at an event at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem honoring IDF soldiers killed in the conflict with Hamas, Herzog accused the court of twisting his words and taking them out of context to create a false impression.
Herzog’s remarks came in response to the ICJ’s decision, with a vote of 15-2, supporting South Africa’s claims that Palestinians require protection from genocide. The court cited inflammatory comments made by senior Israeli officials, including Herzog, as potentially endorsing the deliberate harming of civilians.
The comments in question were extracted from a press briefing given by Herzog on October 12. While the ICJ presented them as a single statement, Herzog clarified that they were an amalgamation of several remarks, with the surrounding context omitted. He emphasized Israel’s adherence to international law and its commitment to not targeting innocent civilians.
During Sunday’s event, Herzog reiterated Israel’s stance on the matter, expressing regret for the suffering of innocent Palestinians while underscoring the necessity of addressing crimes committed by residents of Gaza. He defended Israel’s actions as a just campaign for the return of hostages held by Hamas and the restoration of security for Israeli citizens.
Herzog criticized the timing of the ICJ hearing, which coincided with International Holocaust Memorial Day, as undermining the values upon which the court was established. While the ICJ ruled that some of Israel’s actions could fall within the terms of the Genocide Convention, it did not order an immediate ceasefire, indicating that the court did not conclude that genocide was actively taking place.
In response to the ruling, the ICJ panel of 17 judges ordered Israel to take measures to prevent genocide against Palestinians, ensure accountability for incitement to genocide, address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and prevent the destruction of evidence related to allegations of genocide.