South Africa slams Israel for ignoring ICJ ruling over Gaza

South Africa accused Israel of defying the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on 31st January, according to Associated Press News.

The accusation of ignorance comes five days after Israel was ordered to take action in supplying urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza on the 26th January. Israel was also given a one month deadline to hand over a report detailing how their strategies are in compliance with the ruling.

South Africa’s foreign minister, Naledi Pandor, stated that “hundreds of people have been killed in the last three or four days,” at a news conference in Pretoria, on 31st January.

“Clearly Israel believes it has a license to do as it wishes,” Pandor said as the Palestinian death toll climbs over 27,000 people.

South Africa filed a case against Israel’s president in November 2023 with the International Criminal Court, requesting an arrest warrant for Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. However, no arrest warrant has been issued.

READ: 5 countries back South Africa ICC case against Israel 

Israel refuses to recognise the ICC’s authority as the country was not a signatory of the treaty that created the court.

While Israel remains that it is abiding by international law and is doing “what is necessary to defend our country and defend our people,” Pandor likens Israel’s genocide in Gaza to the Rwandan genocide in 1994 where over 800,000 people were slaughtered.

Pandor commented that global powers were “allowing” Israel’s genocide in Gaza to happen “right before our eyes, on our TV screens.”

Although the ICJ ruling of Israel is binding, the likelihood of Israel actually facing UN sanctions (if found guilty of infringing the ruling) remains questionable as the United States persists to be an ally.

AP