Public hearings to be held on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 January 2024

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)70 302 2323 Fax: +31 (0)70 364 9928
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Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2024/1
3 January 2024
Proceedings instituted by South Africa against Israel on 29 December 2023 Request for the indication of provisional measures Public hearings to be held on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 January 2024
THE HAGUE, 3 January 2024. On Thursday 11 and Friday 12 January 2024, the International Court of Justice will hold public hearings at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court, in the proceedings instituted by South Africa against Israel on 29 December 2023.
It is recalled that South Africa filed an Application instituting proceedings against Israel concerning alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”) in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip (see press release 2023/77).
The hearings will be devoted to the Request for the indication of provisional measures contained in South Africa’s Application. In its Request, South Africa asks the Court to indicate provisional measures in order to “protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention” and “to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide”.
Schedule for the hearings
Thursday 11 January 2024 10 a.m.-12 noon.: Oral argument (South Africa)
Friday 12 January 2024 10 a.m.-12 noon.: Oral argument (Israel)
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Members of the diplomatic corps, the public and the media will find below practical information regarding the organization of the hearings.
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A. Practical information and admission procedures
There will be no parking on the Peace Palace grounds.
1. Members of the diplomatic corps
Owing to the limited number of seats available in the Great Hall of Justice, members of the diplomatic corps who wish to attend the hearings are requested to kindly fill out an online registration form by midnight (The Hague time) on Tuesday 9 January 2024. Seats in the Great Hall of Justice will be allocated on the basis of availability. On presenting a confirmation of registration from the Information Department and valid diplomatic ID at the main gate of the Peace Palace on the day(s) of the hearings, diplomats will be given a badge providing access to the Great Hall of Justice.
2. Members of the public
A limited number of seats will be available in the public gallery for members of the public on a first-come first-served basis. There will be no advance registration procedure, and admission requests submitted beforehand will not be considered. Members of the public wishing to attend the hearings are requested to present themselves at the main gate of the Peace Palace 40 minutes before the start of the public session(s). They will be given a badge providing access to the public gallery upon presentation of valid ID. The security officers at the gate will notify those concerned once all seats available for members of the public have been filled. Admission to the public gallery will close 20 minutes before the start of the hearings.
3. Media representatives
Media representatives who wish to attend the hearings are requested to kindly fill out an online accreditation form by midnight (The Hague time) on Tuesday 9 January 2024. Requests submitted after this deadline will not be considered. The Court’s Press Room can accommodate 30 people only. Accreditation requests will be considered on a first-come first-served basis.
B. Further practical information for the media
1. Entry to the Peace Palace
Only duly accredited individuals with valid identification will be permitted to enter the Peace Palace grounds. Accredited media representatives must bring with them their personal ID and press card. They are asked to arrive at the Peace Palace gates no later than 30 minutes before the start of the hearings. The Press Room will be open one and a half hours before the start of the hearings and will close one hour after they conclude.
2. Access to the courtroom
Photographers and camera crews will only be permitted to enter the courtroom for a few minutes before the opening of the oral argument of each Party. They will be accompanied by a member of the Information Department. Other media representatives will not have access to the courtroom.
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3. Press Room
The hearings will be transmitted live on a large screen in the two official languages of the Court, English and French, in a press room equipped with shared internet access (Wi-Fi and Ethernet). TV crews can connect to the Court’s PAL (HD and SD) and NTSC (SD) audiovisual system, and radio reporters to the audio system.
4. Multimedia
The hearings will be streamed live and on demand (VOD) in the two official languages of the Court, English and French, on the Court’s website and on UN Web TV. High-resolution video clips and still photos produced by the Registry during the hearings will be available free of charge and free of copyright for editorial, non-commercial use, on the Court’s website (to download, click on Multimedia) and X (formerly Twitter) feed (@CIJ_ICJ).
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Note: The Court’s press releases are prepared by its Registry for information purposes only and do not constitute official documents.
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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and agencies of the system.
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Information Department:
Ms Monique Legerman, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department: +31 (0)70 302 2336
Ms Joanne Moore, Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2337
Mr Avo Sevag Garabet, Associate Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2394
Email: [email protected]