Palestinian viewers are captivated and moved by case at UN’s top court accusing Israel of genocide

By ISABEL DEBRE
Associated Press

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem have been captivated by the proceedings in a faraway courtroom where the first hearing in an unprecedented case against Israel was held. Friends and family members gathered before screens in living rooms and local coffee shops on Thursday to watch South Africa accuse Israel at the U.N.’s top court of committing genocide in Gaza. In at least one cafe in the West Bank city of Ramallah, some cheered and others wept. Israel has vehemently denied the genocide allegations. No matter the outcome, Palestinians hailed the hearing in the Netherlands as a watershed moment for a population that for decades has felt forgotten by world powers.