South African President welcomes ICJ ruling against Israel
Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa's president, speaks at the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The US aims to ensure that its preferential trade pact with Africa is replaced without interruption when it expires in two-year's time, while bringing it up to date. Photographer: Leon Sadiki/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The South African government has commended the ruling to its case against Israel by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) while calling it a “decisive victory.”.
South Africa recently dragged Israel to the World Court, accusing Tel Aviv of committing genocide against Palestinians.
In the interim ruling on Friday, the UN top court directed Israel to do all in its power to prevent genocide in Gaza, immediately enable more urgently needed aid to enter the territory, and prevent the direct incitement of genocide in the conflict.
While reacting to the ruling, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “South Africans will not be passive bystanders and watch the crimes that were visited upon us being perpetrated elsewhere,” referring to abuses committed against Black South Africans under the apartheid system.
Ramaphosa was among thousands who watched the ICJ proceedings with fellow members of the governing African National Congress (ANC) party at a gathering outside Johannesburg.
He charged Israel, being “a self-proclaimed democracy and a state that respects the rule of law to abide by the measures” as ruled by the ICJ.
On its part, Israel called South Africa’s allegations of genocide false and “grossly distorted.”
At least 26,083 people have been killed and 64,487 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.
