The BBC has blamed the Post Office scandal for disrupting its reporting of South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
On 11th January 2024, lawyers from South Africa presented their oral submissions in respect of an application for interim measures, alleging Israel is in breach of The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (“the Genocide Convention”), allegations Israel has rejected as libellous and hypocritical.
Submissions on the day were not live-streamed, nor were they covered in any detail in any news bulletins as the BBC focussed on live-streams of the Post Office inquiry, which had become a major national talking point.
However, the national broadcaster did broadcast the oral defence of Israel the day after, seemingly finding room in its broadcasting of the Horizon scandal to give uninterrupted coverage to the ICJ.
Shortly after the ICJ hearing, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel will pursue its war against Hamas until victory and will not be stopped by anyone.
Referring to Iran and its allied militias, Mr Netanyahu said in televised remarks on Saturday evening: “No-one will stop us, not The Hague, not the axis of evil, and not anyone else.”
The case before the international court is expected to go on for years, but a ruling on interim steps could come within weeks. Court rulings are binding, but difficult to enforce.
Mr Netanyahu made clear that Israel would ignore orders to halt the fighting, potentially deepening its isolation.