The South African Government has filed a case to institute proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations.
The case is filed under the Genocide Convention, regarding atrocities committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
Government said it is gravely concerned with the plight of civilians caught in the present Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip due to the indiscriminate use of force and forcible removal of inhabitants.
“Furthermore, there are ongoing reports of international crimes, such as crimes against humanity and war crimes, being committed as well as reports that acts meeting the threshold of genocide or related crimes as defined in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, have been and may still be committed in the context of the ongoing massacres in Gaza,” said the spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Coooperation, Clayson Monyela.
Pretoria has repeatedly condemned all violence and attacks against all civilians, including Israelis.
It has also called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the resumption of talks that will end the violence arising from the continued belligerent occupation of Palestine.
Monyela said as a State Party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, South Africa is under a treaty obligation to prevent genocide from occurring.
He highlighted that the decision was taken at a special Cabinet meeting held on 8 December.
South Africa and other countries have also in the past filed a case at the International Criminal Court, to investigate what it described as war crimes and genocide in Palestine committed by Israel.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the ICJ has confirmed receiving South Africa’s application.
“According to the application, acts and omissions by Israel are genocidal in character, as they are committed with the requisite specific intent, to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group,” read the statement.
Israel has however slammed South Africa’s application, describing it as ‘blood libel’ and accused the country of collaborating with a terror group.
“South Africa’s claim has no factual and judicial basis and is despicable and cheap exploitation of the court.
“South Africa is collaborating with a terror group that calls for the destruction of the State of Israel,” read a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
More than 20 000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, that was sparked by Hamas soldiers attacks on Israel on 7 October.
