The United States will defend its ally Israel against accusations at the top United Nations court that it breached the Genocide Convention during its Gaza campaign, the court said Friday.
Washington filed a so-called "declaration of intervention" at the International Court of Justice, which is examining the genocide case against Israel brought by South Africa.
"The United States affirms, in the strongest terms possible, that the allegations of 'genocide' against Israel are false," said Washington in its filing.
The US said South Africa's case was the latest in a series "to level false charges of 'genocide' against Israel" that it said had been going on for decades.
Such charges serve to "delegitimise the State of Israel and the Jewish people and to justify or encourage terrorism against them", Washington said.
South Africa brought its case before the ICJ in December 2023, arguing the Gaza war breached the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, an accusation Israel has strongly denied.
More than a dozen countries have since applied to join the case, meaning they will present their views in court when it is heard -- a process that could yet take years.
{{/usCountry}}More than a dozen countries have since applied to join the case, meaning they will present their views in court when it is heard -- a process that could yet take years.
{{/usCountry}}Many have voiced their intention to argue on the side of South Africa, paving the way for a wide-ranging showdown in the Peace Palace, where the court sits.
ICJ judges have already issued emergency rulings in the case, including ordering Israel to do everything to prevent genocide in Gaza and allow aid in.
In a separate ruling, the ICJ also said Israel was obliged to provide Palestinians with the "basic needs" for survival.
The orders of the ICJ, based in the Hague, are legally binding but it has no way of enforcing them.
Fighting in Gaza has eased since a US-brokered ceasefire in October between Israel and Hamas, but there have been sporadic outbursts of violence.