U.S. slams 'meritless' Israel genocide suit, reigniting tensions with South Africa

• The International Court of Justice, the U.N.'s highest legal body, will this week hear a case brought by South Africa that accuses Israel of committing genocide against Palestinian people during its assault on the Gaza Strip.
• U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby last week called the lawsuit "meritless, counterproductive, and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever."
• This is the latest political divergence in a string of diplomatic disagreements between Washington and Pretoria, which the U.S. sees as being too close to Russia and China.

South Africa's genocide accusation against Israel has placed further strain on an already frayed relationship with the U.S. and could have serious diplomatic ramifications.

The International Court of Justice, the U.N.'s highest legal body, will this week hear a case brought by South Africa that accuses Israel of committing genocide against Palestinian people during the assault on the Gaza Strip. The suit also seeks an emergency suspension of the military campaign.

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby last week called the lawsuit "meritless, counterproductive, and completely without any basis in fact whatsoever," while Israel has rejected it as "blood libel."

This is the latest divergence in a series of diplomatic disagreements between Washington and Pretoria, which the U.S. sees as being too close to Russia and China.

In May 2023, when U.S. Ambassador Reuben Brigety accused South Africa of running guns for Russia via a mystery merchant ship, a South African inquiry found no evidence of the alleged arms shipment, but ties between the two historical allies remained taut.

Before that, Brigety and other U.S. officials had repeatedly criticized