Barak Rejects South Africa’s Genocide Claims at ICJ; ‘The Nazis Failed to Extinguish Our Humanity’

By Yoni Weiss

Aharon Barak, the former Supreme Court President and Israel’s representative to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) panel, delivered a poignant personal testimony within the context of the ICJ’s decision in The Hague. Reflecting on his own history as a Holocaust survivor, Barak shared the profound impact of his experiences during Operation Barbarossa when the German army occupied his hometown of Kaunas in Lithuania. Recalling the swift and tragic events, he narrated how almost 30,000 Jews were taken from their homes and placed in the ghetto, awaiting execution.

Barak opened his remarks by critiquing South Africa’s appeal to the court. Balancing Israel’s right to defend itself, he underscored the importance of providing humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza. Barak clarified that the ICJ acknowledges that all parties involved in the Gaza conflict, including the Hamas terror group, are subject to international law.

Delving into the emotional impact of the Holocaust on his life and work, Barak described constant hunger in the ghetto and the resilience of a community condemned to death. Sharing a particularly painful episode, he recounted the Nazis rounding up all children under 12, loading them onto trucks, and executing them. Barak, who survived by being smuggled out of the ghetto, emphasized the enduring importance of human dignity even in the face of extreme adversity.

Reflecting on his role as a judge, he highlighted his deep awareness of the significance of the State of Israel’s existence and his steadfast belief in preserving human dignity, which the Nazis failed to extinguish during the darkest moments of the Holocaust.