‘Deeply unfortunate’: Jewish leader on Senator’s support for genocide case against Israel

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin expressed his disappointment in David Pocock after the Senator voiced his support of South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the United Nations’ top court. South Africa has taken Israel to the United Nations' International Court of Justice over accusations of genocide in Gaza. The African nation alleged Israel knew of the number of civilians it was killing and had shown an "incontrovertible" intent to commit genocide. Senator Pocock voiced his support for the case and urged the Australian government to publicly support the ICJ process. Mr Ryvchin said the Senator’s comments are “deeply unfortunate” but sympathised with Mr Pocock’s intentions to limit civilian casualties in Gaza. “What Senator Pocock should be doing in his concern for civilian life is calling immediately and unequivocally and consistently for the surrender of Hamas and the release of 130 hostages,” he told Sky News Australia. “That is the way this war will end immediately and that is the way the civilian toll suffered on both sides can be brought to an end.” Mr Ryvchin also revealed that the Executive Council of Australian Jewry will be reaching out directly to Mr Pocock to make their views known to him.