Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, says South Africa hopes the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will rule “in favour of justice”.
Pandor and the South African delegation are in The Hague on
Friday to hear the ICJ's provisional judgment on Israel's war against Hamas in
Gaza.
South Africa lodged an application with the ICJ, in
December 2023, arguing that Israel was violating the UN Convention on Genocide
and seeking urgent measures to protect Palestinians in Gaza.
At a two-day hearing this month, South Africa asked that
the ICJ grant interim injunctions, including that Israel immediately cease its
military operations in Gaza.
“South Africa is hopeful. We have always approached this
case with a positive spirit, but our core purpose was to highlight the plight
of the innocent in Palestine and also alert the International community to the
great harm that is being done to the people of Palestine and also draw
attention to the lack of justice and freedom, over many, many decades, much of
which has been ignored by the International community,’’ said Naledi Pandor, Minister
of International Relations and Cooperation.
The war started on October 7 when Hamas staged an
unprecedented attack on Israel that left about 1 140 people dead, mostly
civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel's relentless military campaign on Gaza since has
left at least 25,900 dead, about 70 per cent of them women, children and
adolescents, according to the Hamas government's health ministry.
South Africa has asked the ICJ to impose nine orders on
Israel, including to suspend military activity immediately and to enable more
humanitarian access.
Done by: Mitchum George
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