ICJ to give ruling of SA_Israel case on Friday; International Relations and Cooperation Minister 'hopeful'

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