UN Court begins Israel genocide hearing amid dismissals by Washington

South Africa's Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola, center, and Palestinian Assistant Minister of Multilateral Affairs Ammar Hijazi, right, speak outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Jan. 11, 2024. [AP Photo]

The United Nations' top court began hearings Thursday on South Africa's case against Israel for genocide - a case that Israel and its top ally, the U.S., flatly refute - raising the stakes for U.S. relations with nations that disagree.

South Africa's legal team on Thursday launched their argument before a panel of judges that Israel's actions amount to a "pattern of genocide." They are seeking an emergency suspension of the Israeli campaign that started after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a stunning October 7 attack on Israeli civilians that killed about 1,200 people and took 240 hostages.